


1962

by XaverianQueenChrissy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1960s, Eventual Romance, Multi, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Sexism, basically me indulging in my early 60s aesthetic, cis girl Hinata, mentions of gang violence, now with porn!, wet dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-03-26 08:19:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3843799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XaverianQueenChrissy/pseuds/XaverianQueenChrissy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata Shouyou was raised to be a good Christian lady, and nothing was getting in the way of that. However, her world gets flipped upside down when she catches the eye of the dark crows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A challenge

She was raised to be a good girl. Her momma taught her to say please and thank you, and to pull up her socks when they would droop, and to always be polite no matter what. 

Her daily routine went like this: she would wake up at six o’clock sharp to start on her hair, which took up most of her routine. While pulling the rollers from her hair and fluffing it up with lots of hairspray-the more, the better-she hummed gently to herself as she picked out her outfit for the day. Nude coloured pantyhose, a light petticoat to give her favourite navy blue velveteen skirt more volume, and a simple white blouse to finish off her outfit.

“Looking good, Shouyou,” she told the mirror as she whipped out her makeup to complete her look. 

“Shouyou, darling, Hitoka and Kiyoko are here,” her mother called up as she swiveled her lipstick shut.

“Coming, momma!”

“You don’t want to be late for your first day of high school, now do you?”

“Of course not!”

Shouyou grabbed her schoolbag and her white gloves before dashing out the door to join her friends on the walk to school.

Yes, Hinata Shouyou was raised to be a good girl, and she had every intention of staying that way.

 

One stroke, two stokes, three. That stubborn cowlick just won’t go down.

“Tsukki, I need more pomade, this just isn’t working.”

The blonde lit a cigarette before digging through his bag. Tossing the bottle of grease to his best friend, he exhaled dramatically, tapping the ashes of his cigarette against the sink.

The third floor bathroom at Karasuno high had become headquarters for the dark crow gang in recent years, a group of delinquents who just have no intention of following the rules.

Trying to rub more pomade into the stubborn strand of hair of his, Yamaguchi Tadashi attempted to slick back his hair much like the others, but to no avail. Sighing, he ended up pinning it down with a bobby pin, making sure to hide it so no one can see it.

The door swung open, and one Kageyama Tobio stormed in with a scowl on his face.

“Oho? What’s wrong, king?”

“Shut up and gimme a light,” he grumbled, a cigarette already in his mouth, “stupid Ms. Graeme doesn’t know her left shoe from her right.”

“Ah, detention again I see,” Tsukki grinned, tossing his friend a lighter, “on your first day of school no less, I’m impressed.”

“Shut up.”

The door burst open and Tanaka and Nishinoya burst in, cheeks burning red.

“PRETTY GIRLS,” they screamed.

Puzzled, the three first years peeked out the door to see three girls walking by. A blonde, a redhead, and a brunette.

“They look like goodie two shoes,” Tsukishima scoffed, waving them off.

Kageyama could only stare heavily at the beautiful redhead walking with her friends. He smirked, taking a drag from his cigarette as his earlier negativity disappeared with the swirling gray smoke.

“That little miss there,” he announced to his friends, “I’m going to ruin her before the year is up, just watch me.”

“How? You have a sex appeal of a blueberry.”

“TSUKISHIMA SHUT UP,” he cried, flicking cigarette ashes at the blonde, who flinched and retaliated.

“Dude oh man if you can get any one of them into bed, I’ll give you my grandpa’s world war two pocket knife,” Nishinoya cried.

“They’re all so beautiful!” Tanaka sobbed.

Kageyama grinned, tossing his cigarette butt on the floor and stomping on it, “just watch, I’ll have her wrapped around my little finger before you know it.”


	2. Kageyama Tobio is not a model

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that the setting for this fic will be somewhere in the United States, so they'll be more or less using first names when communicating with each other

Obediantly taking notes, Hinata paid firm attention to what the teacher, Mr. Takeda, had to say.

“Your goal tonight is to read act one of Othello,” he announced, passing around books, “tomorrow we will have a discussion on the relationship between Othello and Desemona and how it relates to other Shakespeare couples.”

The bell rang, causing students to jump up and grab a book from the teacher before bolting out the door. Hinata took her time packing up her bag, usually she was the last to leave any classroom, but today she felt a cloud of smoke against the side of her face as she was fastening her bag. She turned and saw a dark haired greaser with a cigarette in his mouth, smirking at her.

“Why hello there, little lady,” he greeted.

“Can I help you?” she scoffed, waving away the smoke.

“What? Can’t a guy admire a pretty girl every once in awhile?”

“Why don’t you go find a harlot somewhere to admire, she would be more your type.”

She glared at his laughter.

“You’re so funny,” he laughed, sticking out his hand, “Tobio Kageyama.”

She stared at his hand with disdain before taking it with her own gloved hand, “Shouyou Hinata. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m late for history.”

Grabbing her bag, she scampered out the classroom door, constantly under the burning gaze of the strange greaser.

“And then he just took my hand, and said I was a pretty girl, what does he want from me?” Hinata confided in her two best friends during lunch.

“Shouyou, you’re thicker than a five dollar malt,” Yachi sighed, “it’s obvious he just wants to score.”

“Yeah, he is one of the dark crows,” Kiyoko piped up, “it’s best you stay far away from them and their headquarters.”

“They’re nothing but trouble,” Yachi huffed.

“You see, Shouyou, those boys see women as cherries that need to be popped.”

The redhead nodded, gulping down her soda.

“Now that that’s out of the way, the folks are going out this weekend, do you gals want to come over for a slumber party?”

The two younger girls squealed at the brunette’s offer.

“I have a huge stack of my momma’s beauty magazines,” Yachi squealed.

“I’ll bring Natsu’s nail polish collection!” Shouyou piped up.

Kiyoko grinned, “perfect. Meet for malts at the diner at five on Friday?”

The girls nodded before the bell rang, causing them to break for class. Yachi and Hinata linked arms and skipped to math, while Kiyoko made her way to geography.

Meanwhile, in the third floor bathroom, Kageyama mulls over the death sentence that is his detention.

“Apparently I have to model for the visual arts class today,” he grumbled, taking a gulp of whiskey from a flask kept in his jacket pocket.

“Hey man that ain’t so bad,” Tanaka laughed, fixing his collar in the mirror, “I’d love to model in front of the ladies.”

“Yeah Tobes, maybe you’ll get a cutie’s number,” Noya piped up, slicking some more pomade in his hair, curling his trademark blonde bangs in front of his forehead.

“Unless, of course, the King actually has to show off his body for the ladies,” Tsukishima interrupted, entering the bathroom with a strange looking wooden box; Yamaguchi trailing behind him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

The blonde laughed, “nothing, nothing. Here, one of these bad boys should cheer you up.”

He opened up the wooden box, which was filled with fat brown cylinders each with a Montecristo sticker embossed on them. The group huddled around their tallest member in awe. Nishinoya let out a low whistle.

“How did you get those?!”

“My brother smuggled them out of Cuba,” he bragged, “He and my sister-in-law are on this mad Bonnie and Clyde spree til a broken condom forces ‘em to settle down.”

“Don’t talk about my sister like that,” Tanaka complained, grabbing a cigar. The two found themselves as in-laws when their older siblings, both dark crow alumni, eloped the previous summer. Since then, family dinners have been chaos.

Nishinoya happily grabbed one and lit it.

“Ah, tastes like communism,” he sighed happily.

“Give me one,” Kageyama growled, snatching one, “I’m gunna need it.”

The men puffed on their illegal tobacco, reveling in the smooth, richness of it.

“Aw man, this is better than sex,” Tanaka moaned.

“I know, right?” Noya agreed, “nothing like a good Cuban cigar. I haven’t seen one of these bad boys since old man Eisenhower shut em outta the country.”

“Eat my ass, McCarthy, because I’m going to communist hell!” Kageyama announced, taking a drag that was heavier than he was prepared to handle. He hunched over the sink coughing and sputtering as the others laughed at him.

“What’s wrong, King? Can’t handle your tobbacco?” Tsukishima taunted.

“Shut up, I’m fine,” he choked out.

The bell rang as they were finishing off their cigars, signifying the start of the final class of the day. For Kageyama, it meant his punishment was about to begin.

Trudging his way down the hall, he cursed every deity that ever existed. Why couldn’t he help out with the shop class or something cool and manly? Modeling wasn’t manly, and if there was one thing Tobio Kageyama was, it’s manly.

He went as slowly as possible down to the first floor art room, where a large pedestal was set up in the middle of the room with a wooden chair atop it. There were hard, plastic school chairs in a circle around the pedestal, each with an easel and several pencils and charcoal sticks placed in front of the chairs. Students were already taking their seats, and he felt awkwardly out of place in comparison to the artsy looking women with big hair and flouncy skirts.

“Oh, you must be Tobio,” the art teacher smiled. She was a sweet faced young woman who looked like she could blow away from a gust of wind, “class, this will be your model for today’s anatomy class.”

“Anatomy?” he asked.

“Yes, I’ll ask you to take off your clothes and-”

“woa woa woa, I did NOT agree to be a striptease for these ladies,” Tobio cried. The girls turned and muffled giggles at the flustered dark crow.

“Just get down to your briefs,” the teacher sighed.

Scowling, he reluctantly pulled off his clothes and tossed them in a pile by the floor. He inwardly cursed when he realized his white briefs were much too small for him, and clung to his junk almost provocatively. Blushing profusely, he made his way up to the wooden chair and plopped down on it, tensing when he heard a loud rip from his too-tight tighty whiteys. The class erupted into laughter as his whole body heated up.

“Alright class, settle down,” the teacher barked.

One giggle in particular stood out to him, though. It was sweet, melodic, and reminded him of his momma’s morning coffee; full of cream and sugar with just a splash of hazlenut liquor “to get me through the long day, Tobio,” she would tell him. He turned his head to the source of the beautiful noise and he locked eyes with a pair the colour of his mother’s coffee. Her red hair tamed in a bouffant and lips slick with gloss. He flushed, whirling his head away.

Goddammit, this just wasn’t his day, was it?

He sat there for the entire hour, ignoring the rip in his undies causing his bare ass to chafe along the wood whenever he would shift. He tried to play it cool, but it was hard when a dozen pretty girls were scrutinizing every detail of his nearly naked body. Especially when one of them was Shouyou Hinata.

The girl in question was mesmerized by the man’s pale, lithe body. Littered with scars and bruises, she wondered what he must go through on a day to day basis. She almost pitied him, until she remembered that he was the sleaze who hit on her earlier that day.

So, she did what any good girl would do to a slime bag; she drew a Hitler moustache and devil horns on his portrait. It would be worth the points taken off and potential strap to the wrist.


	3. First dates and misconceptions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamayachi? Yamayachi.
> 
> Warnings for a racist slur (though I did my best to keep it clean, it's still 1962)

Tadashi Yamaguchi, a shy, freckled faced sophomore at Karasuno High, was officially late for class. Unlike the rest of the dark crows, who joined the group due to family ties with the gang, Tadashi was invited the join by his best friend Kei, who thought joining would toughen up the weak hearted brunet. He had yet to adopt their customs, which was why he still felt panic rise in his chest when he awoke to find he had slept through his alarm and was late for his geometry class. He left the house with his bed hair and his dark crow issued leather jacket hanging on a hook in his bedroom, something that a member would never do.

Bolting into the school and down the hall towards his classroom, he hardly noticed the blonde sophomore running in the other direction with her head down and her books tightly in her arms. She collided with his chest, and was sent flying to the floor with a yelp as her books scattered around her.

Completely forgetting about his class, he knelt down and began helping her pick up her books.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry about that, miss,” he apologized profusely.

“It’s okay, really, it was my fault for not watching where I was going,” she confessed, face flushed bright red as she struggled to collect her bearing.

Tadashi helped the girl up, noticing that she was a good foot shorter than he was. He handed her her books, blushing when he noticed how cute she was.

“U-uh, I’m sorry, you’re probably way late for class,” he mumbled, “c-can I make it up to you?”

“Oh, um, you really don’t have to…”

“Do you like malts?” he asked.

She nodded, blushing.

“I’ll get you one after school...I mean...you know, as an apology!” he stammered.

She giggled, fixing her pigtails, “sure, that sounds like fun. I’m Hitoka Yachi.”

“Tadashi Yamaguchi.”

“Well, Tadashi, I will see you after school,” she smiled shyly before whirling around and walking to her class.

Tadashi froze in place, trying to piece together what had just happened.

 

“Oi, King, shouldn’t you be in class?” Tsukishima asked as an angry Kageyama stormed into the bathroom.

“Shouldn’t you be in class?” he retorted, jamming a cigarette in his mouth.

“It’s just study hall, I can skip that.”

“Whatever.”

“Is this about that Hinata girl?” Tsukishima teased.

“She’s so stubborn,” he pouted.

“Well maybe it’s because she’s a good girl who doesn’t court boys who rip their briefs,” the blond taunted, taking a drag of his own cigarette.

“Can we please never mention that again?”

“Why not, it’s funny.”

“Kei I swear to fuck-”

“Guys,” Yamaguchi interrupted, stumbling into the bathroom, “I think I just asked a girl out.”

The two men stared at the very flustered sophomore.

“You think you asked a girl out?” Tsukishima inquired.

“How do you not know?” Kageyama added.

“And didn’t I tell you to grease your hair before coming in here?” the blonde added, grabbing his pomade from his bag and smearing a dollop in Tadashi’s hair.

He yelped, fishing his comb out of his pocket to comb the grease back.

“Woa...I forgot to grease my hair…” he gasped, realization washing over him.

“Yeah, you kinda did,” his best friend pointed out.

“You know, I wonder if she only agreed to go out with me was because she doesn’t know I’m one of you guys...I mean she’s the one who was walking with that redhead girl Tobio is thirsty for.”

“I’m not thirsty for her!”

“Sure you are, king.”

“Kei shut the fuck up or I’ll-”

“Anyway!” Tadashi interrupted, “my point is, she’s a good girl. She wouldn’t go out with me as a dark crow.”

The other two in the bathroom looked at each other.

“I mean, that is possible,” Kageyama pondered.

“I-I think I’ll rinse this out,” Tasahi mumbled, bending over the sink.

“Your call, but I’m not bailing you out if you get beefed out there.”

“No problem, Tsukki! I’ll see you guys later!”

As the freckled brunet dashed out of the bathroom, the two remaining boys looked at each other.

“We better follow him on his date.”

“Yeah we should encourage him to score. Lord knows he’d never go as far as copping a feel on his own. Especially looking like he hands bibles door to door.”

“You ready, king?”

“I was born ready.”

 

“and oh my gosh, Shouyou, his freckles are so cute!” Hitoka gushed to her best friend over lunch, “he asked me out for a malt and oh god, Shou, how does my hair look? Should I put on lipstick?”

“He sounds dreamy,” Shouyou grinned, happy for her friend, “don’t worry about your looks, you’re a babe!”

“Thank you! I mean, this is all so sudden and unexpected.”

“Hitoka, just be yourself and he’s sure to love you!”

“But it’s not like we’re going steady, I need to make a good impression!”

The blonde took her best friend’s hands, “please come with me, I can’t do this alone!”

“W-wha? I’m not going to be your third wheel!”

“Just sit in another booth and look inconspicuous, pleeeease Shouyou?”

The redhead just can’t say no to those eyes.

“Fine, but just this once, because it’s your first date.”

“Oh thank you so much! You won’t regret this!”

 

Shouyou regretted it.

She was sitting at a booth at the diner down the street from the school, horn rimmed sunglasses on her face as she peered over the menu at the couple shyly sipping on their malts. She could see a blush on Yachi’s face, and smiled a knowing smile. She could only see the back of Tadashi’s head, so she couldn’t tell what expressions he was making; she could only rely on her best friend’s reactions to whatever he’s saying, and it was looking positive so far. She was about to take her leave until a dark figure slid in beside her.

“What’s up, cherry pop?” Tobio murmured in her ear.

The redhead jumped and whirled around and gave the intruder a poisonous glare.

“What are you doing here? And don’t call me that, cheeks!” she huffed.

“Cheeks, huh? That’s the best you’ve got? You must be a real good girl.” He murmured the last part into her ear, making her flinch.

“If you don’t mind, I’m making sure my friend is okay on her date,” she hissed, turning her attention back to the couple who seemed engrossed in each other’s presence.

“You know, I’m doing the same thing,” he confessed, to her surprise.

“You know Hitoka?”

“Nah, Tadashi and I are pretty tight, though.”

The redhead’s eyes widened, “so you mean to tell me he’s a dark crow?!”

Tobio snickered, “hardly. He’s an honorary crow, childhood best friends with Kei Tsukishima and badly bullied growing up. We basically slapped a jacket on him and greased back his hair and suddenly he was untouchable. If anything it’s proof that Kei actually has a heart.”

Her brows furrowed, “I don’t know if I like the idea of Hitoka courting someone who’s part of such a horrible organization.”

Realizing that the man beside her was a part of said horrible organization, she blushed and stammered out an apology. To her surprise, however, he let out a laugh, showing off dimples in his pale cheeks.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about us, don’t worry about it,” he reassured her, sliding out of the booth and sliding into the one across from her, “let me tell you the history behind us.”

“You really don’t have to-”

“Waitress!” he whistled, “two triple chocolate malts please.”

“Tobio, you really-”

“I want to,” he grinned.

He launched into his story while they waited for their malts. While Shouyou had no interest in interacting with someone like him, she decided to humour him anyway.

“Basically, the gang was started up by my father, Junpei Kageyama-”

“The convict?!” Shouyou gasped, “he’s your father?!”

Tobio nodded, “I never knew him though, in fact, he doesn’t even know I was born. He moved to America from Japan when he was young to escape the Meiji Resoration, but he still ended up in extreme poverty when he started up this group specifically for those who are poor. Y’know, to keep them away from drug dealing and other illegal stuff. We’re basically a brotherhood, well, sometimes sisterhood, y’know, we look out for each other.”

“Yet he still ended up a criminal,” Shouyou frowned, “how successful could it have been?”

The waitress returned, setting the malts down in front of them. Shouyou took a generous sip as the dark haired boy continued.

“Well, he’s a Japanese Issei, so he dealt with a helluva lot of racism growing up, especially during the second world war. It’s never easy growing up having people think you’re a terrorist. He was repeatedly labeled a thug, and then one day he just lost it. Killed a guard while in the internment camps, you see. After he was lynched, my mom found out she was pregnant, raised me all on her own.”

“That sounds positively awful!” the redhead gasped, suddenly fully interested in the mysterious stranger she had hated just hours ago, “you were born in an internment camp? I’m only a quarter Japanese so I managed to escape with my mother before we were incarcerated.”

“Yeah, I was born just eight months before we were liberated. Though, we were never truly free after liberation. Even today people know me as the Jap whose father snapped and killed a racist piece of shit. If it weren’t for the dark crows, I would’ve been slaughtered just for being myself. Y’know, all of the crows are children of Issei, which is probably why everyone in this town is afraid of us.”

“I think I understand the group a little more,” Shouyou sympathized, “you’re all just protecting each other from harm, right?”

Tobio nodded with a grin, “though we do tend to be mischevious. We’re no girl scouts, that’s for sure. Especially lately, we often find ourselves going head to head with the Royals of Aoba Johsai. Tooru Oikawa has become an absolute demon these days.”

Shouyou felt like the veil of prejudice had been lifted in the fifteen minutes they spent talking. Though she still thought he was scum, she understood his story a little better. Still, she was no idiot, and knows the different tricks guys pull in order to ruin a woman.

“I’m not sleeping with you, you know, if that’s what you’re hoping for by sharing this with me.”

“Oh come on, I gave you my tragic backstory! This is the part when the girl falls for the guy!”

“What is this, a bad romcom?” Shouyou scoffed, vaguely noticing that Hitoka and Tadashi had left the diner before she got up and stormed out in a huff.

“Shouyou,” Tobio cried as she was at the door to the diner.

“What?” she snapped.

“I wasn’t lying to you, you know.”

Her features softened as she turned to face the dark crow.

“I know. Good night, Tobio,” she murmured softly before leaving.

She really hated Tobio Kageyama, tragic backstory or not.


	4. a change in heart

_“Ahhhh….haaaa….T-Tobio….”_

_Bent over her desk at Karasuno high, panties around her ankles and legs spread to allow the dark haired man abover her to dominate her completely._

_“You like that, Shouyou?” Tobio growled in her ear, “you like taking my cock?”_

_The red head could only keen in response as Tobio gripped her hips and slammed into her repeatedly. She gripped the edge of the desk, too lost in pleasure to know what exactly was happening._

_“Look at you, so beautiful,” Tobio growled in her ear, “I love you so much.”_

_“P-please...Tobio….” she begged._

_As if he could read her mind, he reached down and roughly rubbed her clit in time with his animalistic thrusts._

_“Cum for me, kitten,” he murmured._

_That was all it took for Shouyou to cry out in pleasure as her orgasm washed over her, leaving her trembling in an absolute euphoria no drug could match._

_“T-TOBIO.”_

_Said boy shuddered above her, and seconds later she could feel his warm release fill her up and-_

 

Shouyou’s eyes snapped open as she rocketed up into a sitting position in her bed.

“W-what the hell was that?!” she hissed to herself, cursing the dampness in her panties from the wild dream she just had. Trying to tame her racing heart and cool the heat between her legs, she wobbled to the bathroom and plopped down on the toilet seat, burying her face in her hands.

“I hate Tobio Kageyama,” she growled.

“I hate Tobio Kageyama.”

“I HATE TOBIO KAGEYAMA!”

A knock on the bathroom door startled her.

“Shouyou, are you alright in there?”

The redhead flushed, “y-yeah mom, I’ll be alright.”

Once she heard her mother’s footsteps fade away, Shouyou quickly cleaned herself up and splashed cool water on her face to snap out of it. Looking at herself in the mirror, long red hair pinned to her head in pin curls, flushed cheeks, and tired bags under her eyes. Sighing heavily, she began pulling the pins from her hair to prepare for the day ahead.

Of course, fate was not on her side as she walked down the street towards the school. The keychains on her plain, brown knapsack jingling with every clack of her black mary janes on the concrete sidewalk as she trodded to school. She was so preoccupied in her thoughts, she hardly registered the roar of a red motorcycle engine until said bike was pulled up next to her.

“Need a ride, cherry pop?” the driver shouted to her, and her blood ran cold as she stopped in her tracks, whirling around to look at the driver. Though his face was obstructed by his tinted helmet, she knew that voice anywhere.

“No thanks, Tobio, I’m wearing a skirt,” she replied, starting back on her journey.

Tobio pulled off his helmet, “come on, Shouyou, live a little.”

She turned once again to face him, prepared to politely tell him off before going on her way, however once she saw his disheveled hair and slightly flushed cheeks and oh god where his eyes always that pretty?

She hesitated for a moment before snapping out of her trance.

“I’d rather walk, I don’t want to ruin my hair,” she scoffed, once again turning back towards the school.

Tobio smiled softly as she walked away, she really was a cute girl. Jamming the helmet back on his head, he revved up the engine on his bike and sped past her in an attempt to show off.

When Shouyou arrived at the school, she saw Hitoka out front.

“Hitoka Yachi, you’d better tell me why you left me alone in that diner last night,” she cried, hands folded in front of her chest.

Her best friend yelped in surprise, blushing heavily.

“Sorry, um, Tadashi had an early curfew so he offered to walk me home first.”

“Oh,” the readhead replied, “he didn’t...uh...yknow…”

Hitoka laughed, “please Shouyou, the farthest we went was hand holding. How far did you get with Tobio last night?”

Shouyou sputtered as the blonde covered her mouth with her gloved hands in an attempt to stifle her laugher.

“Like I would have sex with someone like him! I’m better than that,” she scoffed, making her way into the school with her best friend by her side.

“Why was he there anyway?” Hitoka asked.

“Apparently he’s friends with Tadashi and wanted to make sure he was alright,” Shouyou replied, “you know Tadashi’s a dark crow, right?”

Hitoka blushed, “h-he told me last night as we were walking home. The dark crows don’t seem quite so bad, you know. I heard all about their backstory.”

“Don’t let Kiyoko hear that nonsense from your tongue, she’ll tear us apart if she knew what we were up to last night.”

“So what? Shouyou, she’s not our mother, she’s our friend-”

“And our senpai,” Shouyou retorted, reverting back to her Japanese roots, “look, she knows better. I just transferred schools, and you’re just a sophomore. Now let’s just forget last night happened and-”

“TADASHI!” the blonde whooped, bounding towards the boy, walking alongside a tall, lanky blonde with a passive look on his face.

“Hitoka!” he yelped, picking her up and swinging her around with such a force that her skirt lifted. Shouyou sighed and walked through the doors of the school. It seemed she was still the more sensible one of the two.

 

“Did one of you guys slip some LSD into my cigs or what?” Tobio demanded, storming into the third floor bathroom.

“Nope,” said Ryuu.

“Nah,” Yuu echoed.

“I think my brother might have some, but he wouldn’t let me have any,” Kei whined, trying to comb back his fluffy blonde curls.

“Well something’s wrong with me, so spit it out before I find myself in the goddamn hospital!”

“Calm down, King,” Kei sighed, squeezing a large dollop of pomade into his palm, “what exactly is wrong with you?”

“Well, it started this morning when I bumped into Shouyou, and ever since my heart has been racing, I’ve been sweating like a pig, I have no appetite and I dunno I feel like I’m floating and this is so fucked up I’m pretty sure I’m having a heart attack.”

The three boys stared at their junior as he finished his rant with panic in his eyes.

“Bro.” Ryuu gasped, looking at his best friend

“Bro.” Yuu gasped in reply.

Kei stifled a laugh.

“King, listen, you may come from a broken home with a single mother, but let me tell you my parents are happily married and my brother is also happily married so I can assure you that your symptoms are nothing out of the ordinary.”

“What are you trying to say?” Tobio threatened.

“Simple, you’re smitten with Shouyou.”

The two eleventh graders nodded in agreement.

“W-wha? Are you all on LSD?! I don’t love her, I can’t love anybody, remember?”

“Clearly you can love, once you put aside the daddy issues,” Ryuu piped up, using a straight edged razor to shave his stubbly head.

“Honestly Tobio, it’s okay to have those feelings, it just means you need to sink balls deep inside-”

“I don’t even want to have sex with her anymore!” Tobio screamed, “I don’t know, whatever stuff you put in my cigs, it’s fucking with my brain, so later twats, I’m going to class.”

Storming out of the bathroom, the three boys stared at the wooden door in wonder.

“Man, he’s got it bad,” Yuu sighed.

The other two nodded in agreement before going back to their business.

 

_Spit._

The first spitball hit the back of Shouyou’s neck while in English class. Gasping in surprise, whapping a hand to the back of her neck, she turned and glared at the dark haired, drinking straw weilding boy sitting behind her.

“Do you mind?” she hissed, “unlike you, I’m actually trying to learn.”

“Maybe if I could see over your big orange beehive, I’d be able to do some learning too.”

“Like you have the brains to-”

“Miss Hinata, would you care to share with the class the interesting discussion you and Mister Kageyama are having?” Mr. Takeda scolded, focusing all attention on the bickering duo at the back.

“Oh, we were just discussing how racial differences affected the taboo marriage of Othello and Desdemona. With Othello being a moor, he is faced with a similar kind of racism that we see today in America; as with interracial couples today, all blame is put on the coloured and not on the white. Thus when word got out of the marriage, Othello was immediately put on trial for witchcraft, as shown in act one scene three. It was Desdemona herself that had to end the trial by claiming that she did, in fact, marry Othello on her own free will,” Tobio spoke up before the redhead could open her mouth.

Everyone turned and stared with their mouths open at the dark crow.

“Excellent point, Tobio,” Mr. Takeda praised, “it seems you’ve been doing your homework. Miss Hinata, maybe you should collaborate with Mister Kageyama more often.”

Tobio grinned and winked, causing her to whirl back to in her seat so she was facing forward, cheeks flushed.

“I’d rather lick the bottom of my shoe than collaborate with that greasy clyde,” she cried out without thinking, clapping her hands over her mouth in horror at her own words.

Mr. Takeda’s face grew cold as he walked down the aisle to her desk.

“Miss Hinata, that’s twice you’ve interrupted my class. Now, I’m a pretty nice guy, so I’m going to give you one more chance. However, if you fail, I will use the strap on you.”

Shouyou gulped, having never been strapped in her life.

“I’m sorry, sir.”

Mr. Takeda nodded in approval before resuming the lesson.

_spit._

“FUCKING FUCK TOBIO, STOP FIRING SPIT BALLS IN MY HAIR YOU COMMUNIST LOON.”

“MISS HINATA. FRONT OF THE ROOM. NOW. MISTER KAGEYAMA, GET UP HERE TOO.”

 

The tears were still falling from Shouyou’s face as she closed her locker to go home for the day. Whirling around, she collided with a sturdy chest, whose wrists were in the same state as her own from Mr. Takeda’s leather belt.

“Go away, Tobio,” she sighed, walking around him, “I don’t want to deal with you anymore.”

“Shouyou, I’m sorry.”

“I am fifteen years old, and you know what? I’ve never been strapped. Not once. Until you came along and soiled my perfect record and my delicate ladylike wrists.”

Tobio snorted.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ladylike wrists.”

Shouyou scoffed.

“Come here, Shouyou.”

“Why?”

Tobio rolled his eyes, closing the distance between him and Shouyou. He took her sore wrists, gingerly running calloused thumbs over the tender pink welts. She shivered, gently whimpering in pain.

“Here, come with me. I’ll fix you up, okay?”

Going against her better judgement, she followed him up to the third floor, approaching the bathroom when-

“Woa woa woa, this is the boys bathroom,” she hissed, “I can’t go in there!”

Tobio snorted, “come on, this is the dark crow’s hangout, it’s cool.”

Shouyou timidly followed him in with her hands over her eyes until Tobio gave her the all clear.

“You’re not going to try anything, are you?” She confronted in a mixture of anger and fear.

“Relax lil’ lady, as much as I joke about it, I’m not like that,” Tobio responded, rooting through the cupboards under the sinks before producing a small pink bottle.

“Okay, hold out your wrists.”

Shouyou did as she was told, holding out her wrists. Tobio soaked a cotton ball in the pink liquid before dabbing it on her wrists. Relief was instant, and Shouyou sighed happily.

“What is that?”

“Calamine lotion, we boys tend to get strapped quite often, so we keep a stock of supplies in here.”

Once her wrists were dabbed with calamine lotion and wrapped up in bandages, Tobio continued gently rubbing her tender wrists, smiling gently and genuinely.

“Better?” he murmured.

Shouyou blushed as she looked into his tender, blue eyes, “y-yeah, I’m fine. Um, I should get home-”

“The busses left long ago.”

“Wha?! Oh for the love of-”

Tobio handed her a motorcycle helmet, “come on, lil’ lady, let’s get you home.”

Many times today, Shouyou wondered if she had lost her mind. However as she wrapped her arms around Tobio’s waist as they sped down the street, she feels as though she has yet to lose it completely.

Wobbling up the walkway to her house, thankful her parents were out late and her sister was at a friend’s house, she was about to forget this day ever happened, when Tobio cleared his throat.

“Um, Shouyou, can I make it up to you, for earlier?”

Smoothing out her petticoat, she turned to face Tobio with a puzzled expression.

“How so? You already bandaged my wounds.”

“Let me take you out. The fall fair is in three weeks, won’t you escort me to the opening ball?”

Shouyou looked at him in surprise before her face contorted in amusement.

“Do you even own a suit?”

Tobio flushed, “I-I-I can get one.”

“Well well, seems mister dark crow Kageyama is going soft for a girl like me,” Shouyou smirked, “alright, you can take me to the fair, as long as you drop the tough boy act.”

“It’s not an act!”

“Sure it’s not, Othello.”

Turning and walking into the house, Shouyou realized the last of her sanity had blown away with the September wind, and Tobio Kageyama was soaking into her like the lotion on her wrists.


	5. Amen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late and so short! I recently started a new full-time summer job which is occupying most of my days. I'll try to keep on top of my writing as well, but no promises...

Sunday. Nine am. Shouyou was already up and buzzing. Her petticoat was extra fluffy under her belted floral swing dress, every strand of hair on her head was tucked neatly into a french twist, and her pale yellow kitten heels perfectly matching her handbag. All eyes were on her as she and her family entered the church for morning service.

“Oh Shouyou, you look as beautiful as ever,” Adelaide Simmons, the parish’s organist, complimented. She was a sweet old woman whose youngest son was drafted and later killed in Vietnam. He fancied Shouyou, and the two considered going steady despite the five year age gap. To this day, Shouyou turns to Mrs. Simmons for advice and consolation on their loss.

“Thank you, Addie, you too,” the redhead curtsied politely.

“Oh and look at little Natsu, growing up so fast!”

The five year old grinned happily, “Look Addie, mommy bought me my own pillbox hat!”

The older woman gasped in delight, “how lovely! You look just like a redheaded Jackie Kennedy!”

“Shouyou got a matching one but she won’t wear it because her hair is too big,” Natsu pouted.

“Oh Natsu, come on, we can’t keep Addie for much longer, mass is about to start.”

Taking her sister’s hand, the two redheads joined their parents in the pew near the front.

“In nómine Patris et Fílii et Spíritus Sancti. Amen,” the priest announced.

“Amen,” was the reply.

Shouyou could never understand why the mass had to be in latin, many of the elders have told her that Jesus only understood latin, which puzzled her even more. How could she communicate with God if they understood different tongues? Perhaps that was the reason God’s presence seemed to vanish from her life.

As she did every week, she bowed her head and pressed her palms together as the congregation stated their act of contrition.

“Deus meus, ex toto corde pænitet me ómnium meórum peccatórum, éaque detéstor, quia peccándo, non solum pœnas a te iuste statútas proméritus sum, sed præsértim quia offéndi te, summum bonum, ac dignum qui super ómnia diligáris. Ídeo fírmiter propóno, adiuvánte grátia tua, de cétero me non peccatúrum peccandíque occasiónes próximas fugitúrum. Amen.”

Unlike any other Sunday, however, Shouyou found herself wondering if she really felt guilty for her sins.

She quickly decided that as soon as she was alone, she was going to drown herself in the vat of holy water at the back of the church.

 

 

Tobio lifted his head from the pillow at noon on the dot, wiping the drool from his cheek with a groan. Stumbling out into the kitchen, he found his mother in her tattered bathrobe sipping coffee from a chipped mug. They were far from well off, but Tobio didn’t mind too much; it just pained him at times to see his mother with nothing.

“Morning mum,” he mumbled, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard before filling it up with cereal.

“Good morning Tobio,” she smiled, causing her crows feet to crinkle, “did you have a good sleep?”

“Not really. I’ve just, well, got a lot on my mind,” the teen confessed before sitting at the table with his cereal.

“Oh? Anything I can help with?”

Chewing very slowly on his cereal, he pondered his mother’s offer, struggling for several minutes to find the words he was looking for.

“Mom, did you love dad?”

The grown woman choked on her coffee.

“Th-that’s a rather unexpected question from you, Tobio,” she sputtered.

“Did you or didn’t you?” he repeated.

His mother set down her mug and sighed heavily.

“No,” she confessed, “I didn’t love your father. I could’ve grown to love him, I’m sure of it. But I never did.”

“So, you’ve never been in love?” Tobio asked.

“Of course I have,” she smiled, “I fell in love the minute I held my newborn son in my arms.

“That’s really not what I meant by-”

“Your father left me a ruined woman, an unwed mother. To this day, I’m struggling to forgive him. I cannot return to Japan, because your grandparents have emancipated me for the things he did to my body. But, I’m here in America; the land of opportunities, with my darling son, and I am the happiest I have ever been because I know I’m not alone. That’s what love is, sweetheart; being grateful for the presence of others and willing to care for them against all odds. Love will never abandon you.”

She leaned over and kissed her son’s forehead, “whoever it is you’re smitten with, would be lucky to have someone like you in their lives.”

“H-how do you know I’m smitten by someone?!”

“I can see it in your eyes,” she smiled, “now scram, find something to do, it’s a beautiful day!”

 

 

After mass ended, Shouyou insisted on staying behind. She waited patiently in her pew for the church to clear out before getting on her knees.

“God, wherever you are...give me a sign. Am I doing the right thing? Is Tobio your doing, or the doing of the terrible Lucifer himself?”

Nothing. Nothing but the eerie silence that resonated through the church. Frustrated, she placed her head in her arms and began to weep.

“Shouyou?”

She lifted her head and turned to see Adelaide standing a few feet away with a worried look in her gray eyes.

“Oh, sorry, I was just leaving,” she mumbled.

The old woman slid into the pew beside her, “what’s troubling you, child?”

Shouyou exhaled, “well, there’s this boy…”

“I figured as much,” Adelaide laughed, “whatever it is, I won’t press for details, just listen to your heart. Your heart is where the holy spirit communicates with you. God will never abandon you in times of need.”

Shouyou wiped away her smudging makeup, “thanks Addie, that makes me feel better.”

“When Michael was drafted to Vietnam, he told me to take care of you until he got back. He bought a ring for you, you know. Just know that he didn’t abandon you, he had every intention of coming home and marrying you, and that’s what love is. God is love, and God will never abandon you.”

 

 

A wave of confidence and determination came over her as she sprinted down the street to the Kageyama residence, her heels loudly clicking along the sidewalk. She had no idea what she was doing, she was just listening to her heart.

Her heart is what caused her to run the two miles to Tobio’s house.

Her heart is what caused her to slap him hard in the face as soon as he answered the door.

Her heart is what caused her to crash her lips into his immediately afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	6. A boy like him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *rises from the dead* I LIVE. Work + writers block is not a good combination, but I'm working through it! I hope you don't mind the choppiness of it

“Hitoka, don’t you think Shouyou has been acting weird this past week?” Kiyoko asked as the two girls walked side by side home from school one chilly Friday afternoon in mid-September.

“W-well,” the blonde stammered, wringing her hands nervously.

“Are you girls hiding something from me?” Kiyoko asked suspiciously, patting her beehive to make sure it was still there.

“Of course not! You’re just being parano-”

“I know you two are dating dark crows.”

Yachi paled, and contemplated making a run for it. But the dark haired girl didn’t look angry or upset.

“I warned you two about them, but I don’t control your life. I trust your judgement. I’m just worried about Shouyou…”

“Shouyou really isn’t dating anyone right now. She and Tobio have been avoiding each other for the past week because she impulsively ran to his house, slapped him in the face, frenched with him on his couch for a good hour, and ran home. At least, that’s what she told me.”

Kiyoko sighed, “she really is a firecracker, huh?”

Hitoka giggled in response, “her personality matches her hair colour.”

 

 

Monday, September 17th, 1962. It had been eight days since Shouyou’s lips last touched Tobio’s, and it was all she could think about, it seemed.

“So this is what my heart wants,” she mumbled under her breath as she gathers her books for her first class from her locker, taking a moment to glance in the mirror attached to her locker door. Every strand of fiery red hair was in its place, but was that a zit on her chin? She leaned in to examine her face closer.

“You look beautiful, stop worrying about your looks,” a voice whispered in her ear, causing her to flinch and yelp in surprise. Whirling around, she came face to face with none other than Tobio. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized he had no grease in his hair, though he still wore his trademark leather jacket and worn jeans.

“What’s with the hair?” she asked quizzically.

“Oh, y’know, thought I’d try a new look,” he replied smoothly, flashing a dimpled grin at her. Her heart skipped a beat before quickly regaining her composure.

“It looks stupid,” she lied.

“No it doesn’t,” he retaliated with a smirk.

Shouyou huffed, slamming her locker door onto Tobio’s fingers. He let out a very feminine squeak before pulling his hand out of the way.

“Come on, we’ve got to get to class.”

“Class is for flakes,” Tobio snorted, rubbing his sore fingers, “come on, follow me, we’ll go somewhere choice.”

Shouyou glanced at Tobio’s retreating figure, then back to the classroom door nearby. She sighed heavily.

“God, I hope I’m making the right choice.”

With butterflies in her stomach, she turned and ran off to join the taller boy.

The choice place Tobio was talking about turned out to be, in fact, the third floor boys bathroom.

“A smelly kybo, so this is your idea of a gas? I shouldn’t be too surprised, I suppose.”

“Hey now, don’t diss the HQ,” Tobio teased, grabbing a tube of pomade.

“What do you guys even do here?” she asked.

“Smoke, drink, hanky panky with harlots; the others, at least.”

Shouyou wrinkled her nose in disgust, “am I just another one of your harlots, then?”

Tobio laughed, combing his greased up hair into a pompadour, “I told you like two weeks ago, I’m not like that. You should know that by now.”

“Well how can I believe anyone who has more grease in his head than actual brains?”

There was a shift in the atmosphere, and Shouyou knew she had gone too far with that statement. Tobio glared at her, his expression going sour as he started towards her, backing her into the wall. She cowered in fear.

“W-what are you doing?”

“You know what, Shouyou?” Tobio growled, “I’ve done my damndest to be nice to you. I’ve told you about my story, I’ve laughed off every insult you’ve called me, in the hopes that someday you’ll stop seeing me as some kind of monster just because I put a little grease in my hair and wear my father’s old leather jacket. So, if you wanna stop hanging around me, fine. Just don’t keep dragging me along for your own selfish pleasure.”

Shouyou cocked her head, puzzled with the normally laid back teen’s tense attitude.

“Tobio, could it be that you’re insecure?”

To the redhead’s surprise, Tobio laughed in response.

“Of course I’m insecure,” he growled lowly, “I’m worthless. Everybody’s afraid of me because of my name, my momma wants me to focus on school but it’s so fucking hard to when she’s working 3 jobs just to keep us alive, I’m forced to pretend I’m cool and tough because I’m a sissy if I ever let the stress get to me. It’s not fucking fair. Then you came along, the new girl from out of town, strutting through the hallway looked like a goddamn beaut, and I thought that maybe you were the type of person who looks beyond the skin and focus on what’s inside. I was wrong, you’re no different than anyone else.”

He turned to leave, nearly making it to the door when a small, porcelain hand grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. Whirling around, he barely had time to register the situation before he felt sticky, glossy lips on his own chapped ones.

The kiss was brief, and tender. Pulling away, Shouyou stared him down with an intense look in her soft brown eyes.

“If I were no different than anyone else, would I have done that?” She scolded.

Tobio shook his head, still flustured.

“I won’t lie, Tobio, you are incredibly attractive,” she murmured, brushing back a strand of hair that had come loose from its gelatinous cage, “I may even be a bit smitten for you. However, a girl like me just can’t be with a boy like you. That’s just the way the world works.”

She turned and walked out the door just as Ryuu and Yuu walked in.

“Bro, oh my god, you were alone in here with her?!” Ryuu shouted.

“Did you score a home run?” Yuu asked, thrusting his hips provocatively.

“It’s not like that,” he scowled before storming out of the bathroom, “I’m going home.”

“Woa, bro, wait up-”

“My head hurts. I’m just going to go home and rest.”

The two juniors looked at each other as their sophomore friend retreated down the hall.

 

 

“Ugh, again at the poor farm?!” Tadashi cried, “this game got something against greasers I’m sure of it!”

“The game doesn’t know who you are!”

“If this is supposed to be the game of life, then I don’t wanna play it!”

Hitoka giggled, “It’s okay, you can join me at Millionaire acres.”

“With the kids?”

The blonde giggled, shyly kissing him, “of course with our kids.”

Tadashi blushed.

“Hey Tasahi?” Hitoka asked, putting away the game. “What do you know about Tobio?”

“Why do you ask?” he replied, sprawling out on the Yachi’s living room couch.

“Just wondering. Kiyoko and I are worried about Shouyou.”

“Ah, I see,” Tadashi grinned, “Well, like you and I, he’s a descendant of the Isseis. He was raised by his mother after escaping the camps when he was just an infant. He seems to get the brunt of all the racist comments, possibly because he looks the most like your average Japanese teenager among the dark crows. He looks scary, but he really is a big softie, he just has serious communication issues.”

“Shouyou has communication problems too, only she’s much too blunt with what she says,” Hitoka confessed, “do you think they’ll be alright.”

“Honestly, I really don’t know.”

The couple sat in silence.

“Monopoly next?”

Hitoka grinned, “you’re on!”

 

 

Shouyou’s words rang through Tobio’s head all day.

_A girl like me can’t be with a boy like you._

What did she mean by that? Is it because I’m Japanese? No, no, she’s a quarter Japanese herself. I don’t think she knows I’m poor….what could that mean...

“Deep in thought?” his mother teased, heating up a can of soup on the stove.

“Girl troubles,” he confessed, chugging a carton of milk as a form of stress relief.

“Girl troubles, wow, never thought I’d hear that from you.”

“Very funny, mom.”

Bringing over two chipped plastic bowls full of soup, the grown woman sat at the table across from her son. Tobio happily accepted the food.

“So what are these girl troubles that have you looking like a lost baby bird?”

Tobio sighed, “Well, there’s this amazing girl who I’m smitten with-”

“Is she white?”

“What the hell does that matter, ma?!”

She held her hands up in defence, “just wondering if it’s a race thing or not.”

“She’s a quarter Japanese, three quarters white,” he answered his mother’s question, “now can I get back to telling you my story?”

She nodded, gently blowing at the broth on her spoon.

“So there’s this amazing girl who I’m smitten with, I mean she’s an absolute cherry. But some days we’ll be kissin and then she just runs away, tellin me she can’t be with a guy like me. It’s frustrating, ma!”

“Sounds like she’s really playing with your heart strings,” the grown woman murmured.

“She really is! Ugh, stupid dumbass Hinata.”

“Just give her some time, Tobio,” she reassured him, “she’s probably confused about what she wants. Allow her the space to think for herself.”

Tobio nodded, “okay mom, I’ll do that.”

She smiled, kissing his forehead, “my little boy is all grown up.”

“Mom, please!” he whined.

She smiled, “just remember, don’t change a thing about you. You will always be my pride and joy, no girl could ever match that.”

Tobio smiled down at the floor.

“Goddammit ma, stop making me so emotional!” he cried teasingly.

She laughed, clearing the table as the two finished their meal.

“By the way, is this the same girl you’re taking to the fall festival?”

Tobio nodded, “yeah, she agreed as long as I ‘drop the tough boy act’.”

“You have a tough boy act?” His mother awed incredulously, “is this is the same boy who wet the bed til he was 12?”

Tobio’s face scrunched up at the memory.

“Well, if she agreed to let you take her out to the most romantic event of the season, then she must like something about you,” she grinned.

“You know what, ma. I think you’re right,” he agreed, finishing off the carton of milk.

“Tobio I just bought that this morning!”

He went to bed that night with a smile on his face and a plan in his head.


	7. Strange encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was sO RUSHED I'M SO SORRY IT'S NOTHING BUT FILLER BUT WRITERS BLOCK PLUS WORK ;u;

Karasuno high school was the primary high school in the town, however it was not the only one. Situated on the outskirts stood Aoba Johsai private high school; a luxurious private school with tuition standing at a thousand dollars per year. Aoba Johsai’s gang, much like Karasuno’s dark crows, were made up of sons of Issei, and they showed no mercy. The royals were tough, violent, and cold hearted.

“IWA-CHAAAAAAAAAAN, HELP ME, MY TIE IS STUCK,” Tooru Oikawa, leader of the royals and currently pressed up against the lockers, cried out for help.

“For fuck sakes, Tooru,” Hajime Iwaizumi, Tooru’s boyfriend, sighed, twirling his combination so the big idiot could free his tie from Hajime’s locker.

Said big idiot pouted, “such a brute, Iwa-chan, now my tie is all wrinkled!”

“It’s your fault for getting it caught in my locker in the first place, dumbass! Now come on, the guys have something they wanna tell us and apparently it’s urgent.”

With fingers laced together, the boys strutted proudly down the hall to the abandoned classroom they call home. They were the only openly gay couple at Aoba Johsai, and while usually that would come with disgust and homophobic remarks, the couple in question held so much power, no one dared to say anything.

They opened the door to the classroom to find the gang was already there. Takahiro and Issei, the other two seniors, were sharing a cigar and looking at what appeared to be porn magazines. Yuutarou and Akira, the sophomores, were attempting last night’s homework with the help of juniors Shinji and Shigeru. All six of them perked up when their leaders entered the room.

“Took ya long enough,” Issei complained, carding a hand through his unruly dark locks.

“Ah, they were probably nailing each other in the bathroom,” Takahiro grinned smugly.

“Oh fuck off you two,” Hajime growled, “we’re here now, aren’t we?”

“Hajime, Tooru!” Yuutarou cried, jumping up and running over to the duo, “We have a problem!”

“What’s up, Yuutarou?” Hajime asked, concern lacing in his voice.

“He’s got his panties in a twist because Takahiro and I are gunna go shoot up some communists next month,” Issei replied with a drag of his cigar.

Hajime and Tooru looked at each other in confusion.

“We got drafted, idiot,” Takahiro explained.

“Drafted?!” Tooru exclaimed, “How?!”

“We’re 18 and not expected to go anywhere in life,” they spoke in unison.

Yuutarou, overcome with emotion, pulled his senior into a teary hug.

“My brother and my dad...they never came home,” he sobbed.

Hajime gently rubbed his back, understanding what he meant, “shhhh, Issei and Takahiro will be fine, okay?”

Kunimi patted his best friends back, “come on, tears won’t do any good. Let’s just get back to our algebra homework.”

The taller boy nodded and followed his best friend over to the table.

“What about school?” Tooru questioned.

“Who needs school?” Issei laughed, “a purple heart will get you farther in life than a diploma, eh Takahiro?”

“heck yeah.”

The two high fived, going back to their playboy magazines as if nothing was wrong.

“Welp, good thing Iwa-chan and I are out, huh?” Oikawa chirped, “the US army doesn’t want a couple of fruit cakes like us, huh?”

“Speak for yourself,” his boyfriend huffed.

“Well, either way,” Shigeru stood, joining in on the conversation, “we should do something memorable before they leave, don’t you think?”

The gang all nodded in agreement.

“How about we all go to the fall festival together!” Tooru suggested, “lots of babes, food, plus the gravitron is still up!”

“Urgh,” Hajime gagged. Memories of last year’s bet on how many times he and Tooru could ride without puking came to mind.

“I’m down,” Takahiro piped up.

“Hell yeah, get a chance to score before we leave!” Issei echoed in agreement.

“It’s settled, then!” Tooru announced, “we’ll meet up at the fair grounds at seven o’clock sharp on Saturday!”

“Why Saturday?” Yuutarou asked, “Friday we can leave right after school.”

“Ah, but Saturday evening is the ball! So many beautiful women, handsome men-”

“You just wanna see Hajime in a suit, you pervert,” Takahiro teased.

Tooru brushed off the comment, “It’s going to be fun, you guys can score, and I’ll be sure to nail Hajime into the w- OW, IWA-CHAN, THAT HURT!”

 

-x-

 

“No, no way on earth!”

“Oh come on, Shou, it’s a beautiful dress!”

“I’m not wearing a sleeveless dress, my momma would kill me!”

Shouyou found herself after school on Tuesday at a boutique with Hitoka and Kiyoko, trying to find the perfect dress for the ball that Saturday. The problem was that Shouyou was very fussy when it came to formalwear.

“You know, for someone who’s not into Tobio, you sure are making a big effort to impress him,” Kiyoko commented, a knowing grin on her face.

Shouyou sputtered, “I-I never said I wasn’t smitten, but-”

“So why don’t you ask him to go steady?”

Her face turned the colour of her hair in embarrassment.

“That would mean he would win, though,” she pouted, “I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of winning my heart.”

Hitoka and Kiyoko sighed in unison. Shouyou was absolutely impossible.

“You know, love isn’t a competition,” Yachi sighed, adjusting the ribbons holding up her stiff pigtails, “it’s a union between two people, their strengths and weaknesses blending together like a chemical reaction just itching to brighten the world around them!”

“Oh stop with the poetry, it’s reminding me of english class,” Shouyou huffed, stepping out in a blue plaid smock with a white ruffled collar and puffy cap sleeves, “what do you think?”

Her friends stared at the atrocity that was on her body.

“Dorothy called, she wants her dress back,” Kiyoko snickered.

The redhead flushed, huffing before stamping back into the dressing room.

“Are you even looking in the new arrival racks?”

“Shut up!”

Many dresses were thrown back and forth over the door to Shouyou’s dressing room. Too big, too small, wrong colour, only harlots wear skirts that short. Hitoka and Kiyoko heard it all from the yappy redhead in the changing room.

“Okay this is the last one so you better like it!” came the voice from the other side of the door.

The two women turned their attention to their redheaded friend, eyes widening and jaws going slack. It was an emerald green chiffon dress with a boat neck collar and a tea length skirt. Her petite waist was accentuated with the help of a dark green chiffon belt accentuated with beautiful gold embroidery.

“Shou….” Hitoka gasped, “you look like a fairy princess!”

The redhead was grinning from ear to ear, twirling and allowing the soft fabric to ghost against her pale legs.

“Does the dress come with a petticoat?” Kiyoko asked, frowning at the price tag.

“I have lots at home,” Shouyou reassured her friend, “this dress is perfect!”

Gazing into the mirror, Shouyou imagined Tobio on her left, how they would twirl and waltz the night away, their bodies pressed flush together perfectly in sync like a chemical reaction in perfect harmony. When the night was over, she imagine his hands running up her milky thighs, tugging down her panties-

“Shouyou? Earth to Shouyou?” Hitoka pulled her out of her risque daydream, snapping her fingers in front of her face.

“Alright, I’m taking this off and we can leave now,” she stammered, face beet red with embarrassment, to the amusement of her friends.

“She’s hopelessly lovesick,” Hitoka sighed.

Her dark haired best friend could only nod in agreement.

 

-x-

 

With purchases in hand, the three girls strutted down main street laughing and gossiping like all teenage girls.

“Tadashi tried to get to second base but he cried when he touched my breast,” Hitoka roared, taking a sip of her slushie.

“You let him?!” Shouyou gasped, “but….but you’re not married!”

“It’s just a boob you big baby.”

“You’re a big baby.”

“Watch out!” Kiyoko warned to two girls but it was too late. Shouyou collided with a strong, warm chest, knocking her off her feet and to the ground with a yelp.

“I-I’m so sorry sir,” she whimpered.

The man laughed, taking her hand and helping her up, “don’t worry about it. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“A beautiful girl like yourself should watch where she’s going, someone might try and snatch you away,” the man winked, carding a hand through his glossy chestnut locks.

Hitoka and Kiyoko, with alarm bells ringing, dragged the redhead away from the man, who simply laughed to himself before walking away.

“Oh you’ve really done it now, Shouyou….” Kiyoko murmured softly.

The sophomores looked at their senior in question.

“What do you mean?”

“That man is the leader of the Aoba Johsai royals; the dark crows’ sworn enemy,” Kiyoko responded, “he’s extremely dangerous. Stay away, alright? I mean it this time.”

The other two nodded, faces white as linens.

“Come on, sleepover at my house tonight.”

The three girls, determined to brush off the strange encounter, took off running down the street with their bags in hand and their skirts flapping in the September wind.


	8. Nuclear Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops another racial slur. I've been doing my best to avoid that kind of vocab but the era that this is set in....eugh  
> Also mentions of Hiroshima and lots of sexism, because, yknow, 1962

The day before the opening ball had teenagers across the town buzzing with excitement. For one Kageyama Tobio, he had a much bigger issue at hand than buying corsages or looking for his best clothes.

“My parents want to meet you,” he recalled Shouyou telling him over the telephone, “tonight at 6, they want you to join us for dinner. Dress nice and for the love of god don’t mention your father.”

It was 5:58, he figured it was only right that he showed up early to the Hinata household. He adjusted his tie which had gone askew from the wind flapping it around. Smoothing down his ungreased hair, he gently rapped his knuckles against the door. Almost immediately, the door flew open and Shouyou, clad in a bright floral skirt, pink petticoat, and a pastel green blouse, leapt in his arms.

“You actually came!” she squealed, adjusting her pearl necklace.

He looked away with a heavy blush on his face, “of course, dumbass.”

Her face scrunched up at the sight of his shiny red bike sitting in the driveway.

“I told you not to bring the bike,” she hissed in his ear.

“What was I supposed to do?!” Tobio protested, “I live on the other side of town!”

Shouyou sighed in resignation.

“Well come on, my parents are in the sitting room!”

The sitting room looked like a typical family setting. Mrs. Hinata was seated in the rocking chair, clad in a black silk skirt and a wide collared button up, knitting what appeared to be a pair of socks. Her husband sat on the couch, dressed in tan slacks and a polyester button up, thumbing through the daily paper with a serious expression on his face and a cigar in his mouth. Sprawled out on the floor colouring in front of the roaring fireplace was a little girl who was the spitting image of Shouyou, dressed in a pink high collared dress and tiny white gloves. The house had a very domestic feel to it, and Tobio could feel a twinge of jealousy rise in his throat.

Shouyou cleared her throat, causing the two parents to drop their things and rise to greet their guest.

“Mom, Dad, this is Tobio. Tobio, this is my mother, Barbara, and my father, James.”

Tobio shook Mr. Hinata’s hand first.

“Nice to meet you,” he greeted shakily.

“A strong handshake you’ve got,” the red headed man grinned, “the sign of a true man.”

“Th-thank you.”

Barbara laughed, taking Tobio’s hand next.

“Don’t mind my husband. We’re very delighted to have you.”

“I’m very delighted to be here,” came the garbled reply as the teen bowed stiffly.

The woman laughed, “oh James, he acts just like your father! Such a cute little jap you are!”

Tobio wrinkled his nose at the slur but held his tongue.

A timer rang through the small bungalow, causing the Hinata matron to quickly smooth her hands on her apron.

“The chicken is ready, all that’s left to do is to mash the potatoes,” she smiled, “Shouyou, darling, won’t you come help me?”

She nodded, kissing Tobio on the cheek before scurrying off with her mother, leaving Tobio standing stiffly with Mr. Hinata; Natsu doodling without a care in the world.

“Come sit, my boy,” the older man spoke calmly and clearly. It didn’t ease his anxiety, however, as he sat on the couch, shifting nervously.

“I’m not scary, yknow,” the orange haired man piped up, taking another drag of his cigar, “it’s my wife you’ll have to worry about.”

“Oh, I-I’m not nervous at all!” Tobio stammered, clenching his sweaty palms.

The Hinata patron laughed, “sure you’re not. Anyway, there is one thing I need to warn you about before you consider courting Shouyou long term.”

The dark haired boy cocked his head in curiosity.

“My daughter,” James paused to take another long puff of his cigar, “she’s very fragile. Even for a woman.”

“I would never hurt her,” Tobio insisted.

“She was in love before, and he was drafted and sent to Vietnam. He died in combat last year,” he explained.

“I’m really sorr-”

“not to mention your family name gives you a very poor reputation in terms of keeping your ass alive.”

The boy tensed, face scrunched up at the thought of his father.

“I know you’re not your father, but I know Junpei was quite the reckless individual. I was in the camps with him, y’know, and he was quite a character. If Shouyou sees you get hurt, it would break her. So look after yourself just as much as you look after her, okay?”

“I promise, sir.”

James grinned, “I’m glad to hear that, son.”

 

 

“You know you two can’t get married, right?” Barbara commented, mashing the potatoes while Shouyou set the table for dinner.

“Ma, we’re fifteen years old, we have no intention to be wed,” Shouyou exclaimed, face turning red.

“I mean when you two want to get married! No state in America is going to let a white woman like you marry someone like him.”

“They let you!”

“Your father is only half, and he changed his name to hide his heritage,” the older woman argued, angrily slamming the potato masher into the pot.

“Times are changing though, mom! People are becoming more tolerant, the world is getting a little bit brighter-”

“Shouyou.” Her mother interrupted, setting down the masher and turning to face her daughter, “Have you seen the news lately? The Soviet heathens have missiles in Cuba right now, we could be at the brink of a nuclear war. You’ll be damn lucky if you ever see your sweet sixteen, much less a world brighter than what it already is. Now just accept that you and Tobio will never be married. Keep that in mind if you ever want children, because no grandchild of mine will be born out of wedlock-”

“MOM!” Shouyou yelped, “We’ve only been courting for three weeks!”

“Well you yippie hippie baby boomers seem to be rushing into everything these days.”

Shouyou rolled her eyes, “okay, mother.”

“Asides from that, though, he seems like a very nice kid,” Barbara reassured her daughter, placing the potatoes as well as a tossed salad on the table.

The redhead smiled softly.

“Go let the boys know dinner’s ready.”

 

 

Dinner was the most uncomfortable part of the evening.

Tobio squirmed in his chair, bowing his head a little too far when grace was said. The Hinata family customs had him nervous, wanting nothing more than to get this right. He had never thought to bless his food before eating it, but he would do it to please Shouyou’s family.

Damn, when did he become so whipped?

“So, Tobio, what does your father do for a living?”

The raven haired boy choked on his water. Shouyou tensed at her mother’s blunt question, squeezing his hand under the table for reassurance.

“Tobio’s father passed away suddenly when his mother was pregnant,” Shouyou explained as her boyfriend attempted to regain his composure, “and he’d rather not discuss it any further.”

“I see, I apologize for your loss.” Barbara thought for a moment, “so what about your stepfather?”

“My mother never married,” Tobio choked, finally catching his breath.

“So who brings in the income?”

Shouyou uneasily stabbed at her salad, shoving the vegetables in her mouth.

“My mom, it’s enough to pay the bills.”

Barbara gasped outwardly, clasping her gloved hands over her mouth.

“You mean, your mother works?! Oh dear, women don’t belong in the work force!”

“Honey-” Shouyou’s father started.

“They belong in the house, looking after the children!”

Shouyou groaned in frustration. Her mother’s worldviews were stuck in the 1920s. Tobio was unphased by her reaction, however; he simply shoveled more chicken into his mouth, not noticing the tension building in the small dining area.

“It’s amazing how you’ve survived so long without a nuclear family,” Barbara spoke in awe, “I mean, surely you’ve never had a home cooked meal before with your mother working all the time!”

“Oh, my family’s very nuclear!” Tobio piped up, “my paternal grandparents died in Hiroshima, and my uncle had half his face melted off.”

“TOBIO,” Shouyou hissed, jabbing him in the side. An awkward silence fell over the dining room.

“Wow honey,” Mr. Hinata piped up nervously, “this chicken is delicious. did you use a new recipe?”

The rest of dinner passed quietly, with minimal amounts of small talk tossed back and forth. Tobio sunk in his chair, appetite suddenly lost.

 

 

“I screwed that up, didn’t I?” Tobio asked as Shouyou walking him to his bike.

“It’s okay, you didn’t know the definition of nuclear family, no biggie,” she reassured him, “plus my mom’s views can be a little, ah, intense, so I was worried about you meeting them to begin with.”

“I thought you shared her views.”

“I did,” Shouyou confessed, “but then I met you and I guess I realized just how wrong it was to live with prejudice. But, like the bible says, honour thy mother and thy father.”

“Honouring them don’t mean you need to kiss their asses all the time,” Tobio strapped on his helmet, “If I honoured my father, I’d be dead by now. See ya tomorrow, cherry pop.”

With a wink and a smirk, Tobio drove off, leaving Shouyou standing in her driveway with only her thoughts for company.

Damn, she had a lot of thinking to do.


	9. I can't help falling in love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOOK AT THIS LONG ASS CHAPTER. MY FINGERS ARE BLEEDING. Okay that's an exaggeration, but I was on vacation in Charlottetown which delayed me even further so I hope you guys enjoy!

Saturday, October 6th, 1962, had all the youth in the neighbourhood abuzz. Shouyou Hinata was no exception, as she spent her morning floating around the house; humming a tune, face covered in a goopy green face mask and still in her nightdress.

“I have a bad feeling about this Tobio guy,” Mrs. Hinata confided in her husband, brows furrowing as her daughter twirled past on her way to her bedroom.

“Barbara,” Mr. Hinata murmured, taking her hands in his, “we raised her to make good choices. She’ll do the right thing, I promise.”

“Are you sure?”

“Do you doubt the Lord?”

Mrs. Hinata shook her head.

“The Lord will be by her side, she’ll be alright,” Mr. Hinata reassured his wife.

“She loves him,” the Hinata matron murmured softly, “I can see it in her eyes.”

Her husband smiled, “then we should be happy for her.”

“I don’t want to see my baby have her heart broken...not again.”

Mr. Hinata tilted her head up as their lips met in a gentle kiss.

“Shouyou will be fine, I just know it.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the obnoxious ringing noise coming from the mint green rotary phone in the kitchen.

“I got it!” Shouyou cried, stumbling back down the stairs and back into the kitchen where she once was.

“Hinata residence, this is Shouyou,” she answered cheerily.

“What’s up, cherry pop?” the gravely voice on the other end piped up, muffled laughter and loud shouting in the background.

She blushed, still not used to the nickname, “oh, hey Meat! Just getting ready for tonight. What’s up?”

“Ah, not much, just hangin’. I’m lovin’ the new nickname, though.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Shouyou murmured sarcastically.

“Too late. Anyway, I know we agreed to meet at Tadashi’s at 7 and go to the ball with Hitoka and Tadashi, but there’s been a change of plans.”

“A change of plans?”

“Yeah. Akiteru and Saeko are home, and I just spent all morning breaking up a fistfight between Kei and Ryuu so I honestly need a float. I’ll pick you up at 5 at your place and we can all meet up at the A for supper, you dig?”

“Sounds like a gas!”

“WHAT’S YOUR BAG, YOU PANTY WAISTS,” Tobio suddenly shouted, causing Shouyou to jump.

“Is everything alright?!” she squeaked, earning her a concern look from her parents.

“They knew this was coming, yet they’re still pounding each other.”

Shouyou gasped, “Saeko’s p.g, isn’t she.”

“Knocked up to the clouds,” Tobio replied, “she finds this whole thing amusing. Akiteru is in a panic. Fuck, I gotta go, see you at five. I love you.”

He hung up before he realized what he just said. The colour drained from Shouyou’s face as she processed what he just said to her.

“Shouyou, is everything alright?” her mother asked.

“He...l-lo…”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence before quickly picking up the phone and twirling a familiar number into the rotary.

 

“Hitoka! Shouyou’s on the phone,” Mrs Yachi shouted up to her daughter’s room.

“Coming!” she bolted downstairs, clad in just a pink bathrobe and a towel around her head. On her nose, a pore strip was slapped on in a rush.

“Hello?”

“TOBIO LOVES ME,” Shouyou shrieked in place of a greeting. Hitoka cocked her head in confusion.

“I thought you knew that already?”

“Huh?” Shouyou’s voice died in her throat.

“You love him back, right? That’s why you two are courting?”

“It’s not like that!” the redhead protested, “I don’t feel that way about him...I...I mean…”

The words died in her mouth as Hitoka laughed warmly.

“Shouyou, you’re ridiculous. Are you coming to the A tonight for supper?”

“Tobio just called and asked me to join him.”

“Yeah, I guess all the dark crows are meeting there, so it might get interesting,” The blonde laughed, readjusting the towel on her head.

“You hear about Saeko?”

“Mmm, Tadashi is excited for Kei, but Kei….ah….”

Shouyou snorted, “he’ll always be sour, there’s no helping him at all.”

A timer dinged in Hitoka’s ear.

“Ah, time to take off this goop,” Shouyou laughed, touching her slimy cheek, “I’ll see you tonight!”

“See you!”

Hitoka hung up, sighing heavily.

“She’s hopeless,” she whined to herself.

 

 

Tobio stiffly knocked on the door of the Hinata household at five pm sharp, clutching a bouquet of sunflowers his mother insisted he purchase.

“Don’t get her roses, those are too cliche!” his mother told him earlier that day, “Get her flowers that remind you of her!”

His tie was too loose, his hair was greased back, and he had sweat dotting his forehead from nerves; the phone conversation from earlier still fresh in his memory.

The front door swung open, startling him as he scrambled to get his bearings.

“Come on in, Tobio,” Barbara smiled tenderly, “Shouyou’s been waiting for you.”

He stepped inside, the flowers in his hand shaking.

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

Tobio’s attention was drawn to the sound of heels clicking on the hardwood stairs. He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath, trying to reassure himself that she would absolutely not slap him, or reject him, or-

“Tobio?”

Shouyou’s soft, melodic voice snapped him out of his anxious thoughts. He opened his eyes, and his breath left him momentarily. Her kelly green dress hugged every curve; long, white, silk gloves clasping a pearl clutch purse. Her lips were painted a soft coral pink, her eyes were lined with an inky black cat eye, and her nude coloured pumps tied the outfit together.

“Wow…” was all he could manage to choke out.

Shouyou blushed, “is it too much?”

“No...it’s not that...I just…”

“Shouyou! Go stand by Tobio, let me get your picture,” Barbara grinned, holding up her brand-new polaroid camera.

Shouyou frowned, reaching up to tighten Tobio’s tie before she whirled around to face the camera.

“Smile!”

The duo flashed happy smiles; that is, Shouyou had a blindingly happy grin, while Tobio’s smile was that of a gassy newborn.

“Can’t you smile properly?!” the redhead laughed as her mother shook the photo to life.

“I so can!” he pouted, to Shouyou’s amusement.

“Prove it.”

By the apple tree out back, on the hood of Tobio’s borrowed 1959 Ford Thunderbird (Akiteru tossed him the keys as a thank you for breaking up the fight earlier), and even curled up on the Hinata family sofa; Barbara Hinata’s photo shoot was endless. Shouyou was used to it, knowing how much her mother loved photographing her babies, but Tobio was clearly antsy by the end of it, not wanting to be late to supper.

An hour later than expected, the couple pulled into the A&W drive-in, pulling up next to Tadashi, Hitoka, and a very bruised Kei.

“Shouyou!” the small blonde squealed, leaping out of the car to greet her best friend, “you have to come feel Saeko’s bump!”

After quickly placing their orders with the young carhop, Shouyou and Tobio both eagerly leapt from the vehicle and ran over to Akiteru and Saeko’s car.

“Nee-san!” Tobio cried.

“Ah, Tobio! Thanks again for earlier,” Saeko laughed, taking a loud slurp of her root beer. Belching loudly, she pointed to Shouyou, “is this your new girl?”

“Yeah, this is my main squeeze, Shouyou Hinata,” the black haired boy introduced.

Stepping out of the car, she circled the redhead like a vulture examining its latest meal.

“N-nice to meet you,” Shouyou greeted uneasily.

Instead of responding, the blonde grabbed Shouyou’s hands and forced them on her stomach.

“Feel this!” she squealed, “two of ‘em! Momma says my I’ve got a womb like black soil!”

Shouyou’s eyes lit up as she felt the lumps moving around.

“Woaaaa, Saeko that’s amazing!”

“Hey, I got a husband who knows how to water the garden,” she replied, winking at a very red Akiteru in the driver’s seat.

“I’M RIGHT HERE,” Kei shouted from the next car over, immaturely making gagging noises.

The sound of roller skates on the cracked asphalt drew their attention away from Saeko’s innuendos.

“Looks like our food is here,” Tobio murmured, fishing into his pockets for his wallet, making his way back over to the car.

“I should go eat, but it was nice to meet you, Saeko.”

“Call me nee-san,” she grinned, “that’s Japanese for big sis.”

“Ah, sure thing nee-san!”

“Oh by the way Shouyou, you look incredible,” the blonde piped up.

“You too!” she grinned.

The dark crows plus their dates were hanging around on the hoods of their vehicles for the duration of supper; Tobio sucking his float with too much intensity, and Shouyou muffling her giggles with her gloved hand when he began groaning from a brain freeze; Hitoka removing a glove to swipe ketchup of the corner of Tadashi’s mouth, shyly pressing her lips to his; and, of course, Akiteru and Saeko were eating face for supper.

“This is disgusting,” was all Kei had to say to the situation he found himself in.

“You jealous?” Akiteru teased.

“Absolutely not,” he huffed, adjusting his thick square glasses.

Saeko and Akiteru shared a mischevious look, and Akiteru leapt up suddenly and tackled his brother, nearly knocking Tadashi and Hitoka off the hood as he peppered his baby brother in wet smacks.

“Akiteru, fuck off!” Kei roared in embarrassment. The group laughed at the sight of their coldest member being thrown off guard so suddenly.

“But I loooove my baaaby brooother soooooo much,” he cooed.

“Uuuuugh,” Kei groaned.

Once the laughter and teasing died off, Tobio realized that the gang was down a couple members.

“Hey, where are the other two?” he asked aloud.

“Ryuu is grounded for trying to kill his brother-in-law, and Yuu took pity on him,” Saeko explained.

Tobio rolled his eyes.

“Idiots,” he muttered under his breath, “is everyone done eating? Its starting soon.”

The crows nodded, jumping off the hoods of their cars while helping their ladies down without damaging their outfits.

“I’ll see you there, Shouyou!” Hitoka piped up.

“Bye bye!” the redhead replied, getting into the passenger seat.

 

Despite the relaxed supper, the drive to the fairgrounds was very tense. Shouyou was fidgeting with the hem of her dress, while Tobio gripped the steering wheel just a little too tight.

“So, about earlier today,” Tobio finally spoke, breaking the silence.

Shouyou’s fingers stilled on the hem of her dress.

“I’m sorry if that freaked you out, I know you don’t feel that way about me.”

Shouyou whirled her head around to look at her boyfriend. His jaw was tensed as he gripped the steering wheel; steel blue eyes focused on the road a little too hard. The silence that followed suffocated the duo from the rising tensions.

“Did you mean it?” Shouyou murmured several minutes later.

Tobio let out the breath he had been holding in a big huff.

“Yeah, I did,” he replied.

“I see.”

It was quiet for the rest of the drive.

 

 

_Come on and twist_

_Yeah, baby twist_

_Oooh yeah, just like this_

_Come on little miss and do the twist_

 

 

“Tobio come on, move your feet!” Shouyou laughed, twisting on the balls of her feet like it was the most natural thing in the world. Their conversation had been lost in the whirlwind of music and dance and so many beautifully dressed couples.

“I’m trying, dumbass!” he tried, having the grace of a baby moose.

The main building of the fair was abuzz with lots of young couples dancing the night away. Everyone whistled at Hitoka and Tadashi, who were both twisting enthusiastically and laughing off their embarrassment from the sudden attention.

“Wow, Tadashi’s moves are getting much better,” a person dressed up in a sparkly purple ball gown awed to the other crows, twirling a strand of ash blonde hair between their fingers.

“SUGA?!” Tobio cried, immediately recognizing the melodic voice.

“Hey, long time no see,” the person grinned, “how’ve you been? Ryuu tells me you got yourself a honey.”

Tobio laughed nervously, adjusting his tie.

“I-I suppose you could say that.”

Something seemed odd about the person Tobio was talking to. Shouyou looked them up and down, but it wasn’t until she locked eyes with them that she realized their large adam’s apple and boxy figure weren’t feminine traits.

“Y-You’re a man!” she shrieked in horror.

His bright eyes immediately darkened as he slammed a manicured hand against her mouth, actively shushing her.

“Shut up, are you trying to give me away, little girl?” he growled.

“Woa woa, Suga, back off, she doesn’t know any better,” Tobio intervened, “Shouyou, this is Koushi Sugawara, the former co-leader of the dark crows until I took over.”

The ash blonde sighed heavily, lowering his voice so no one could hear him.

“I got drafted,” Koushi explained, “I can’t go to Vietnam...I have no other choice but to pretend to be someone I’m not.”

“I see,” Shouyou murmured, “I’m sorry to hear that, it must be hard.”

“It is,” he confessed, “if people find out, I’ll be in even more trouble. But, my best friend needs me, I can’t leave him to fight in the war he just fought in.”

“My first boyfriend died last year in the Vietnam jungle,” Shouyou sighed, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay, I got over it,” she reassured both men, squeezing Tobio’s hand for extra reassurance, “But Koushi, you make quite a dashing young woman!”

The ash blonde grinned happily, “Thank you!”

“By the way, where’s Daichi?” Tobio asked, “I thought he was coming out tonight?”

“He can’t handle the loud noises of a fair,” Koushi murmured, “he just got back from Saigon, and he’s in a terrible state. His mother is looking after him long enough so I can have a break. But enough of that talk, why don’t you properly introduce me to this lovely woman of yours, Mister Kageyama?”

“Shouyou Hinata,” she introduced herself, curtsying.

“We met at school,” Tobio added, a blush on his face.

“I’ve never seen her around,” he commented, “is she a freshman?”

“I’m a sophomore,” she explained, “I recently transferred from Nekoma.”

“The fancy private school?!” Suga gasped, “What are you doing at Karasuno?!”

“I didn’t like it there, they were too snobby and all my friends were at Karasuno. Plus, if I stayed there, I would never have met Tobio.”

The duo locked eyes, tenderly exchanging loving gazes.

Koushi smirked, smoothing out his dress.

“Well, you two look like you’re very much in love, so I’ll leave you two be. It was nice to see you again, Tobio.”

With that, he sashayed away, leaving behind two purple faced teenagers flustered over the dreaded L word.

“Ah, he’s always been kind of a mother hen,” Tobio huffed.

“I can see that,” Shouyou replied, shaking off the sudden tension, “shall we dance? I’ll teach you the mashed potato next!”

“The what potato?”

 

 

“Ah, smell that boys, that’s the smell of fresh pussy.”

“Tooru, you’re gay as fuck,” Issei taunted.

“You’re also disgusting,” Hajime butted in.

“You guys are so mean,” the royals leader whined, dressed to the nines in his black silk suit, “we’re trying to get Makki and Mattsun here laid, remember? This isn’t about me.”

“How noble of you.”

Tooru ignored his boyfriend’s comment, instead scanning the crowded dance hall. A shock of red hair caught his attention first, immediately recognizing the young woman he had run into awhile back. He smirked, running a hand through his slicked back hair.

“Watch and learn, men.”

Sashaying through the crowd to the beautiful young woman happily dancing, he flings an arm around her shoulders, startling her.

“Hello beautiful, care for a dance,” he purrs smoothly in her ear.

The redhead flushed, “I-um-”

“Oikawa?!”

The brunette locked eyes with a very shocked and angry Tobio standing three feet away.

“Ah, if it isn’t the king of the crows, nice to see you here.”

“Get your slimy hands off her,” he growled, pulling her behind him. She yelped, stumbling on her heels.

“My, my, Tobio, don’t you know that women are delicate and fragile?” Tooru murmured, just now noticing that the redhead was nuzzled submissively into the back of the younger boy’s suit jacket, not at all afraid.

“What do you know about women, anyway?!” the dark crow leader snapped, placing a hand over Shouyou’s; fingers interlocked.

“I know plenty about women! Their only purpose in society is for male pleasure and for childbirth. Nothing more.”

Shouyou scowled but didn’t say anything, knowing full well how dangerous that man was.

“So, it seems she’s your harlot, huh?” Tooru laughed, “how much did you pay for her?”

“It’s not like that!” Tobio sputtered, face bright red.

“Ah, I see, so it must be love, huh? How troublesome.”

Tooru casually glanced back at his subordinates, who were holding back Hajime as he struggled to intervene.

“Issei and Takahiro are leaving soon, why not do something memorable, just between the crows and the royals?”

“Like what?” Tobio asked suspiciously.

“How about a good ol’ fashioned gang fight, tomorrow morning, the usual spot, what do you say? Winner gets this beautiful specimen.”

Tooru winked at Shouyou, whose eyes were wide with fear. A chill ran down Tobio’s spine as he got a good look at the brunette’s lust filled eyes.

“Fine,” Tobio stated, guarding her possessively.

Tooru smirked, “excellent. I’ll see you then.”

Tobio didn’t realize his hands were balled into angry fists until he felt the gentle touch of Shouyou’s hands on his white knuckles. Relaxing, he turned to see the redhead’s soft brown eyes were welling up with tears.

“You’re not really going to do this, right?” she whimpered.

“I have to,” he replied, cupping her left cheek.

“You can’t....I couldn’t bear to see you get hurt. He’s dangerous.”

“I know that look on Oikawa’s face, he’s been known to kidnap young women and force them into prostitution, y’know. I can’t let that happen to you.”

“I can look after myself!” she protested, “just because I’m a useless woman, doesn’t mean I can’t fight!”

“Shouyou, no! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

“And you do?”

“Worst comes the worst, I’ll be a little banged up, but I’ll do anything to keep you safe,” he reassured her.

“I thought the dark crows were peaceful, was I wrong about you this whole time?” she choked, angrily wiping tears from her eyes.

“No no no! Fuck, Shouyou, we only get violent when we have to.”

“But you don’t have to,” she murmured, “just...don’t go.”

Tobio caved under the sight of those beautiful brown eyes.

“Fine,” he sighed, “I won’t go.”

“Thank you.”

“But I’m ready to blow this joint, Tooru ruined the atmosphere. You with me?”

Shouyou smiled softly, “let’s stay for a few more minutes, then we can ride some of the rides, alright?”

A love song started up, causing the couples to transition smoothly from an upbeat twist into a slow dance.

“May I have this dance?” Tobio teased, dramatically bowing.

“You may,” Shouyou replied, taking his hand.

 

_Wise men say only fools rush in_

_but I can't help falling in love with you_

 

Elvis’ smooth voice echoed through the dance hall. Shouyou fit perfectly in Tobio’s strong arms, listening to him sing softly in her ear.

“Shall I stay, would it be a sin,” his baritone voice rang in her ear, “If I can't help falling in love with you.”

She nuzzled into his arms, breathing in a unique scent of aftershave and Tobio. It was comforting, she felt at home with him. It was amazing to her how in just one month, they went from enemies, to lovers.

Her eyes widened as her feelings hit her like a train in the span of just sixty seconds. This was just like when she was courting Michael, only a thousand times stronger. She wanted to give him everything; body, mind, and soul, for the rest of her life.

Listening to Tobio’s voice made her feel fuzzy and numb, it just felt so right, as if they were destined to be together.

As the song drew to a close, Shouyou’s soft alto voice joined Tobio’s.

“take my hand, take my whole life too, for I can't help falling in love with you,” they both song in perfect harmony, unconsciously drawing closer and closer until their lips brushed.

“I love you, Tobio,” she admitted, face bright red.

The wind left Tobio’s lungs momentarily, processing her words.

“W-wha?” he gasped.

“I’m in love with you,” she repeated, a little more bravely.

Tobio didn’t respond, instead sweeping her off her feet and pulling her into a loving, passionate kiss. She melted into his arms, her bones turning to putty as she kissed him back with the same fire.

“I’m in love with you too,” Tobio panted between wet smacks.

She smiles against his lips, heart soaring for the first time in a very long time.

“Tadashi…” Hitoka gasped, jabbing him in the ribs so he could turn his attention. The freckled boy smiled at the sight of his friend happily in love.

“Tsukki owes me a malt,” he grinned.

“You two took bets?!”

Tadashi laughed, lacing his fingers with his girlfriend’s.

“Like you and Kiyoko weren’t doing the same.”

Hitoka grinned, “come on, we should give them some privacy.”

The lovebirds finally broke apart after what seemed like an eternity, panting heavily.

“You know what I’ve always wanted to do?” Shouyou whispered in her boyfriend’s ear.

“What?”

“I’ve always wanted to go to second base on a ferris wheel.”

Tobio choked on his own spit, doubled over coughing in an attempt to regain his composure.

“What happened to the cute little Catholic girl I met?!” he squeaked.

“I can be a little bad every now and then,” she purred.

He grabbed her hand and quickly dragged her out of the dance hall and towards the ferris wheel, the redhead’s head thrown back with laughter.


	10. That's the way the cherry pops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Irrelevant to the plot, skip if you're uncomfortable with smut.

Shouyou’s back hit the sheets on Tobio’s bed, yanking him on top of her as their limbs tangled together erotically. She ripped off his tie and pulled off his jacket, lips clashing with a sloppy mess of saliva.

“Wait, what about your mom?” Shouyou gasped, suddenly realizing that Tobio didn’t live alone.

“She’s working tonight,” he growled in her ear, “the night is ours.”

“Mmmm, think of all the fun we could have in one night~”

“God, it should be illegal for you to be this fucking sexy,” he groaned, grinding his hips against hers.

Shouyou laughed a throaty laugh that had been contained all her life in an attempt to be more “lady like”.

“I still have my clothes on!” She teased, quickly unbuttoning her boyfriend’s shirt and shucking it off with the rest of his stuff.

“Mmmm, we’ll have to change that,” Tobio growled into her neck, sliding a hand up her leg before resting on her sensitive inner thigh.

Shouyou keened in a desperate attempt to gain more friction between her legs. She could feel how wet she was just from a single touch of his hand. He was able to do things to her body that not even she could control, and damn did that ever drive her wild.

Smashing her lips against his, her fingers hooking into his belt loop and bringing him closer to her. Her skirt was blown upwards, exposing her panties, and she used this to her advantage, grinding animalistically against the growing bulge in his pants. Tobio choked out a gasp, moaning against her swollen lips.

“I love you so much,” he gasped, rutting his hips against her wet panties.

“I love you too,” she cried out, gripping the sheets for dear life, “l-let me get this dress off!”

Tobio pulled off of her, allowing her to sit up and quickly unzip her dress, yanking it off and tossing it aside. The dress had boning, so she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath. Tobio’s jaw went slack as he saw her bare breasts in the glow of the October sunset. Blushing, she quickly covered up her chest with her arms.

“Why are you hiding?” he murmured, gently coaxing her arms back down to her sides.

Her face was bright red, “th-they’re ugly.”

It was Tobio’s turn to laugh, “ugly?! Shouyou, you’re beautiful.”

“Y-you think so?”

“I know so.”

“Even though they’re s-small?”

Tobio leaned in and planted his lips on one of her pert nipples, causing her to gasp in pleasure.

“Especially because they’re small,” he reassured her, causing a small smile to bloom across her face.

“I love you,” she murmured.

“I love you too,” he reassured her, “but I’m seriously about to explode just from looking at you.”

She laughed, cupping him through his pants and squeezing gently. Like pushing a button, Tobio was gone after just one touch; hunched over gasping Shouyou’s name as he ruined his dress pants. Shouyou sat there mesmerized as she watched him come undone.

Panting heavily from his orgasm, Tobio laughed, embarrassed.

“I-uh-that was fast…”

She giggled, “don’t worry about it.”

Tobio stared longingly at the wet patch of fabric between her legs, tracing small circles up her thigh.

“Hey, Shou, can I try something?”

She cocked her head in confusion, “I-I guess so?”

“Mmmkay, can I take off your underwear?”

She nodded, giving him consent as she laid down on the bed and lifted her hips to help him remove the last piece of clothing on her body. She was completely exposed, and though she was shy, she trusted Tobio with every fibre of her being.

What she wasn’t expecting, however, was for him to shuffle down the bed and nestle himself between her legs, hooking them over his shoulders.

“W-what are you-aaaaangh,” she cried out as she felt his wet tongue slide along her folds. Electric sparks shot up her spine as she shuddered in pleasure. Tobio lapped at her most intimate parts for several moments before pulling away.

“D-did you like that?” he mumbled.

Shouyou nodded, “w-where did you learn that?”

“Akiteru,” Tobio explained, lazily tracing a finger around her labia, “I asked him for advice on how to pleasure a woman. Saeko had a few things to say too. I promise you that this is my first time as well.”

“O-oh...well...I liked it,” the redhead murmured, face as red as a beet.

Tobio smiled tenderly, “I’m glad. I love you, Shouyou.”

Hands slid over heated flesh as the duo explored each other’s bodies, testing to see what felt good and what didn’t. Being teenagers with very limited stamina, however, they quickly became impatient and hungry for the main course.

“T-Tobio...ahhhh,” Shouyou moaned, “I’m ready, just hurry up!”

Tobio pulled away, looking deep into her soft brown eyes.

“Are you sure?” he murmured, wiping his mouth, “we can wait if you want-”

Shouyou grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together, lying submissively on the bed looking like an absolute goddess.

“Pop my cherry, pretty boy.”

That did it for Tobio, as he positioned his cock at her entrance and immediately dove in without warning.

Shouyou wouldn’t lie, it hurt. His girth felt like she was being ripped in half. Tears welled up in her eyes as she muffled her sobs into Tobio’s shoulder.

“Hey hey, are you alright?” he asked.

“It hurts,” she whimpered, knowing full well her hymen was torn.

“Its going to hurt but then it’ll feel good,” he reassured her, “just hold on, okay?”

True to his word, Shouyou’s body became accustomed to the foreign object inside her, and soon enough she was arching her back off the bed, clinging to Tobio and crying out in pleasure. Also due to the fact that they were teenage virgins, the couple only lasted five minutes each.

“Fuck, I love you,” Tobio growled.

“I love you too...aaaAAAHHHHHH.”

Shouyou had never orgasmed before, so she had no idea what to expect, nor the fact that the pressure building up inside her would feel so good. Her toes curled, and her nails scratched down her lover’s back and she sobbed his name through the pleasure. Tobio thrust in three more times before reaching his own climax with a loud grunt, teeth sinking into Shouyou’s neck to claim her.

As the last ripples of pleasure ceased, the two looked at each other in the eye, smiling tenderly and basking in the warmth of each other. After several beats of comfortable silence, Shouyou burst out laughing.

“What?” Tobio chuckled, infected by her melodic laugh.

“My parents are going to kill me,” she giggled helplessly, “and I don’t give a rat’s ass.”

Tobio laughed with her, pulling out and placing them in a spooning position.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The two drifted off into a peaceful slumber. Though all her life she was a good Catholic woman who would never disobey the church, she had no regrets of that night.

The next morning, Shouyou woke up stark naked, and all alone in the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't write porn ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	11. A Dustland Fairytale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based off of the music video for Dustland Fairytale by The Killers. Also yes, I know I'm satan.
> 
> Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3hyrkzFRss

Wrapped in nothing but a sheet, and praying that Tobio’s mother wouldn’t see her like this, Shouyou wandered through his house looking for him.

She tried the bathroom with no luck. Looking into the bathroom mirror though, she groaned heavily. Her red hair was a mess, her makeup was smudged, and of course she was wearing a sheet.

“I really look like a harlot,” she sighed, attempting to clean herself up. Splashing cool water on her face to remove any remaining makeup, she wondered just where her boyfriend went off to.

“He must be out running errands,” she mused, returning to the bedroom to prepare for the day. She ended up putting last night’s outfit back on, not giving a damn about her hair or makeup. As uncharacteristic as this was, it was the best option for her at that moment.

A sudden knock on the door startled her, and she ran over to the door in the hopes that it was Tobio and not her parents coming to send her to boot camp.

It wasn’t Tobio at the door.

Instead, Shouyou was greeted by a red faced and panting Kiyoko. The personification of grace and beauty was hunched over, gasping for air and blinking back hot tears.

“Kiyoko!” Shouyou yelped.

“Shouyou,” she croaked, “you have to come quickly. It’s Tobio.”

 

 

“Did you score last night?!” was the first thing out of Ryuu’s mouth when the dark haired crow arrived at the abandoned back parking lot of an old diner outside of town, which had been shut down for years; the windows on the building boarded up and a condemned sign on the door.

“Home run!” Tobio announced, puffing his chest out proudly.

The crows whooped and slapped their leader on the back.

“Atta boy!” Yuu cried, tossing him the knife they had bet on when the school year started. Tobio grinned before tossing it back.

“It’s your grandfather’s, you keep it.”

Yuu grinned back, tucking the weapon in the pocket of his ripped blue jeans.

“So, the king is being generous, hm?” A smooth voice pierced the air around them. Tobio tensed, whirling around to see the royals, led by Tooru himself, standing in their pale blue leather jackets.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Tooru continued to taunt, examining his nails, “I have more important things to do than to fight with children.”

He winked at Hajime, whose face ignited in flames from anger and embarrassment.

Tobio stripped off his trademark leather jacket, tossing it aside.

“Let’s do this, Oikawa.”

“Whatever you say, Kageyama.”

 

 

“Kiyoko,” Shouyou gasped, running barefoot down the sidewalk, “Stop! I’m not wearing shoes!”

Kiyoko’s inky black hair fluttered behind her as she ran, pulling the redhead behind her.

“We can’t stop!”

“Why can’t we?!”

“Because otherwise Tobio will die!” Kiyoko screamed hysterically, finally halting to whirl around and face her friend. Her chest was heaving and Shouyou could see tears welling up in her gray eyes. The display was very uncharacteristic of her, and it worried the redhead to no end.  
“Kiyoko…?”

She removed her glasses and wiped away her tears.

“I’m sorry, Shouyou, I just…Asahi…” she choked out.

“Asahi?”

Kiyoko nodded, “you have to stop Tobio...before he becomes....Asahi…”

Shouyou then realized that he had gone to the gang fight he had sworn to her the night before that he would stay far away from. Her face darkened with anger.

“Let’s go.” she commanded, all questions about this Asahi guy pushed aside for the time being. Ignoring her bare feet cut from rocks and broken glass, she took Kiyoko’s hand and bolted off once again.

 

-x-

 

_The year was 1960, Kiyoko Shimizu was a sophomore at Karasuno High School, and a girl who was not to be messed with. Her dark hair was pulled up and secured with a bandana, her leather jacket and blue jeans were considered to be scandalous and unladylike; but people knew better than to mess with a dark crow._

_At her left, stood her boyfriend, Asahi Azumane. Asahi was known for his incredible height, build, and facial hair which made people think he was a lot tougher than he actually was. He was a sweet, caring, incredible boyfriend, and was about as dangerous as Kiyoko’s kitten at home. They made plans to elope once they had finished high school. They were known as the gentle version of Akiteru and Saeko._

_It was March of 1961; the year before she met Hitoka and Shouyou, when she found her boyfriend’s lifeless body; having shown up to a gang fight just five minutes too late. He was surrounded by the other dark crows minus Tobio, who most likely was going to get help. His murderer, along with his friends, were long gone. She felt numb as she scuffed her battered converse across the ground before collapsing at his side._

_“Asahi,” she murmured, cupping his stubbled chin._

_“I’m sorry, Kiyoko,” Daichi consoled, placing his jacket around her shoulders. Koushi and Yuu were holding each other and crying silent tears, Ryuu was hiccuping through his tears, even Kei looked solemn as he comforted a distressed Tadashi._

_Kiyoko pressed her lipstick stained lips against his one last time. His lips were cold and blue._

_The early spring breeze that year was far colder than she could ever remember._

_At his funeral, she placed two things in the casket with him: her dark crows issued leather jacket, and her promise ring. She slipped the ring on his pinky, but it was too tight._

_“I’m sorry, Asahi,” she murmured, before turning and walking away from him forever._

_The next day, she threw out her blue jeans and converse, unpinned her hair, and put her glasses back on. Never again would she be associated with the dark crows, nor would she ever allow her dear friends to get hurt by them._

 

-x-

 

Kiyoko ran, taking Shouyou back to the place where Asahi died, in the hope that Shouyou could avoid making the same mistake she made years ago. She was seeing spots and her side was cramping up, but she pressed onward. Five minutes could mean the difference between life and death, and only Shouyou could snap Tobio out of his anger.

“Tobio’s going to be alright, right?” the redhead whimpered.

Kiyoko couldn’t respond.

They arrived before the fight even started. Tobio was surrounded by his friends, slapping him on the back and shouting words of encouragement as he wrapped his knuckles in thick cloth to protect them. The Royals were doing the same thing to Tooru, also wrapping his knuckles.

“Take him down, buddy,” Ryuu grinned, nudging Tobio towards Tooru, who was already prepared to make the first swing.

“Stop!” Shouyou shrieked, but it was too late. Her boyfriend charged towards the other man, swinging a fist at the older boy’s jaw. Tooru ducked, smirking.

“Is that all you got?” the Royals leader taunted before socking him in the gut, bringing him to his knees.

Shouyou gasped in horror, trying to get to her boyfriend but was held back by Kiyoko.

“It’s too dangerous!” Kiyoko told her.

The fight raged on without any indication of Shouyou’s presence being acknowledged. Constant blows to the face and abdomen from both sides, along with the shouting from their friends, overpowered the redhead’s screams. Shouyou was resigned to whimpering in Kiyoko’s arms. After just twenty minutes of fighting, Tobio’s lip was bleeding, and Tooru had bruises forming on his cheeks.

“I don’t want to fight you anymore,” Tobio growled, panting heavily.

“Giving up already, Tobio?” Tooru taunted, lowering his fighting stance, “alright, I’ll humour you. We can call this a draw.”

Tobio was caught off guard, surprised that Tooru would back down so easily. Shouyou breathed a sigh of relief, happy that the nightmare would soon be over.

“FIne by me.”

Once Tobio turned to retreated to the rest of the crow’s, Shouyou’s eyes caught a flash of aluminum in the morning sun, and she turned her head and saw the blade in Tooru’s hand.

“TOBIO,” Shouyou screamed, scrambling to get out of Kiyoko’s arms.

It was like the whole world was spinning in slow motion as she saw her boyfriend turn to Shouyou would shock on his face, immediately before the sickening sound of metal ripping flesh filled her ears. She felt sick, unable to move as her boyfriend collapsed, eyes wide and jaw slack as he hit the ground in a puddle of his own blood.

Immediately, Hajime was on top of Tooru, yanking him back, eyes filled with shock and rage. Tooru simply smirked, licking the blood off of his knife.

“As if I’d let you beat me.”

Shouyou finally tore away from Kiyoko’s trembling arms, bolting over to her boyfriend’s side. She clung to him as he fought for his life.

“Tobio, oh god,” she cried.

“Shou…” he gasped, “I’m so sorry, I should have-”

“No no no no, don’t you dare apologize to me! Not until you get better, you hear me?! You’re going to get better!” she shrieked hysterically.

He chuckled weakly, ribs rattling as he gasped for air, “always so optimistic, huh cherry pop?”

Tears filled her eyes and her bottom lip trembled, “call me that stupid nickname one more time...”

“I love you, cherry pop,” he repeated, voice starting to cut out as his consciousness began to blur and he gasped for air.

She ran a hand through his hair, sticky with blood.

“I love you too, you giant sack of meat.”

He gave her a weak grin, exposing his dimples before he slipped under the waves of consciousness.

For thirty agonizing minutes, Shouyou held him close to her, attempting to stop the bleeding to no avail. The rest of the crows plus Kiyoko were waiting with baited breath for Ryuu to return with an ambulance.

After thirty minutes, Shouyou saw his face drain of all colour, and the rattling noises from his lungs slowed to a stop. She ran a hand through his hair one last time before hysteria washed over her.

“Don’t go,” she wept, holding his face in her hands.

When the others realized their leader had passed on, Yuu heaved out a heavy breath, Kei was frozen in shock, and Tadashi sobbed once again.

Kiyoko was reminded of the pain she went through with Asahi, and guilt filled her heart. This time, they weren’t too late, but they were still unable to stop them. She picked up Tobio’s jacket lying several feet away before draping it over Shouyou’s shoulders. The ambulance finally arrived, five minutes too late.

Shouyou never budged from that spot. Even after a paramedic draped her in a shock blanket and insisted she went for a psychiatric examination, she refused. Instead, Kiyoko took her home, fixed her a cup of hot tea, and tucked her into bed so she could rest.

“Your mental health is going to be poor for the next while, so you should rest so you can recover from the shock.”

The redhead nodded, gently taking a sip of the warm liquid, shivering as it slid down her throat.

“I suppose there’s only one thing I can do now,” Shouyou murmured to her best friend.

“What’s that?”

The redhead smiled softly, staring out the bright afternoon sun while gripping her mug of tea.

“My duty as a woman.”

Kiyoko was confused for a moment, but then realized what Shouyou meant. She smiled softly, adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose.

“You’ll do a great job.” she replied, “and it’s my duty as your best friend to help you out whenever possible.”

Shouyou opened her arms, and Kiyoko happily returned the hug.

“Hitoka will probably be here soon, as soon as Tadashi breaks the news. She’ll be more distressed than you, so I’d take it easy for now.”

Shouyou nodded, nuzzling under Kiyoko’s soft cotton sheets; curled into Tobio’s jacket, she fell into a deep sleep. She wasn't ready to cry just yet, because she knew Tobio's story had only just begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...well that escalated quickly.


	12. 1985

She was raised to be a good girl. Her momma taught her to say please and thank you, and to pull up her socks when they would droop, and to always be polite no matter what.

Her daily routine went like this: she would wake up at six o’clock sharp to start on her hair, which took up most of her routine. While bending over and teasing her long orange hair before fluffing it up with lots of hairspray-the more, the better-she hummed gently to herself as she picked out her outfit for the day. Her scrubs lay hanging in her closet, but today was a day so special, the hospital decided to give her the rare day off work. Thumbing through her closet, she finally decided on a vermillion coloured turtleneck, her favourite pair of stone washed jeans, and a floral printed corduroy vest.

“Looking good, Shouyou,” she told the mirror as she whipped out her makeup to complete her look; causing the armload of bracelets on her arm to jingle.

“Come on, we have to get going!” a deep, masculine voice called up to her as she swiveled her nude coloured lipstick shut.

“I’m coming, just chill out!”

“Orientation starts at eleven and it’s a five hour drive!”

“I know, I’m coming!” she shouted.

Shouyou grabbed her purse, her car keys, and a shopping bag that held a lot of weight to the redhead.

“Is the car packed up?” she huffed as she ran down the stairs to a very impatient young man.

“Yeah, grams and I did it last night, let’s go!”

Shouyou smiled softly, “you that excited to leave, huh? You’re certainly grown up.”

The boy’s large brown eyes softened, “come on, we agreed no sappy stuff til we get there.”

She nodded, grabbing her sunglasses, “of course, no sappy stuff.”

 

 

She sped down the interstate, her station wagon stuffed with her passenger’s possessions. The scent of stale tobacco and coffee lingered in the air around the two as the radio crackled out the latest hits.

“Every now and then I fall apart, and I need you now tonight and I need you more than ever,” Shouyou belted at the top of her lungs in perfect tandem with Bonnie Tyler on the radio, “and if you only hold me tight we'll be holding on forever and we'll only be making it right 'cause we'll never be wrong tonight!”

The boy in the passenger seat scowled in irritation, to Shouyou’s delight.

“Come on, Hishou! Sing with me!” she laughed, “you look constipated!”

“You can’t sing!” he whined, to her amusement.

“Oh come on, you won’t be seeing me for another three months, what will you do without me?”

“Not dig through your head for gray hairs every time you have a midlife crisis,” he teased.

She punched his shoulder, “you stop that! I’m only thirty eight!”

“Only thirty eight,” he repeated with a stifled laugh.

“I guess I am getting pretty old, huh?” she chuckled softly to herself, the atmosphere in the small station wagon shifting, “I can’t believe you’re already in grad school.”

“Hey now, we agreed-”

“No sappy stuff, I know,” Shouyou replied, wiping stray tears from the corners of her eyes, “dammit, I need a cigarette.”

With one hand on the wheel, she reached for the pack of cigarettes in the cup holder, only to have them snatched away before she could grab them.

“Seriously?! I thought you quit!”

The redhead huffed, turning her attention back to the road.

“I’m just stressed,” she admitted, “it’s one thing going to school in town, but Harvard…”

“I’m kinda stressed myself,” Hishou admitted, running a hand through his thick black hair, “it’s going to be a lot of hard work. Law school is no walk in the park, yknow.”

“I know, but you’re such a smart boy, I know you’ll do just fine. Just be safe, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got the Tsukishima twins to protect me,” he teased.

It was silent again, save for Cyndi Lauper in the background.

“I come home, in the morning light my mother says when you gunna live your life right,” Shouyou suddenly belted out once more. Hishou smiled and throughout the rest of the trip, he humoured her and sang along.

 

 

She wished she could have a few more years with him, but the hands of time tick on mercilessly, and she could only watch helplessly as her baby boy grew into a very handsome young man.

“Alright, I think that’s everything,” the twenty two year old huffed, collapsing on the rickety mattress in his new dorm, “I can unpack from here.”

“Wait,” Shouyou murmured, handing him the shopping bag she brought with her, “I have a present for you. Call it a coming of age present, if you will.”

Puzzled, he pulled the contents from the bag, feeling the soft, worn leather against his calloused fingertips. He recognized the item immediately as he held it up high, from the embroidered crow on the back with its wings spread wide, and a familiar name stitched on the sleeve.

“Dad’s jacket,” he murmured, “is it really okay for me to have this?!”

Shouyou smiled, cupping the boy’s cheeks and kissing him smack on the forehead.

“Oh Hishou, your father wouldn’t want anyone else to have it.”

Pulling his arms through the sleeves, Hishou breathed in the scent of leather and cologne and felt a warm, pleasant feeling rush through him.

“It feels like he’s here with us.”

“He’s always been with us,” she murmured, “he always will be, and he is so, so proud of you.”

He wrapped his arms around his mother, who gently rubbed his back.

“Orientation is starting soon, I need to get going,” he mumbled.

“Alright, I’ll call you when I get home. I love you.”

“I love you too, ma.”

she ruffled his fluffy black hair once last time before leaving. It was hard leaving him behind, but she knew deep in her heart that he would be just fine.

As she drove away in her beat up station wagon with the smell of stale tobacco and coffee lingering in the air, and a peaceful aura around her, she took the time to reflect on her life; how her life was flipped on its head that October morning in 1962, how she met the youngest Kageyama in July of 1963 and could not let go of the small, slippery infant, and how she managed to graduate high school in 1965 despite all obstacles placed in her way.

Twenty years ago, Shouyou would have argued that her life would have been much better off if she had never caught the attention of the dark crows. But as she got older and wiser, she knew deep in her heart that this was the plan God had for her all along.

She never married, instead choosing to live with Tobio’s mother and look after her; in turn, she babysat Hishou while she went off to work. She ended up saving many lives during her career as a nurse, and still managed to make it to every single one of Hishou’s school events. Her hard work and dedication to work and her family paid off as she watched her son, Tobio’s son, graduate high school with top honours in June of 1981, with big plans to start his own law firm. Four years later, he made it to Harvard Law.

Yes, Hinata Shouyou was raised to be a good girl, and she was proud to say she raised her son to be a good man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my birthday is Tuesday and I guess you could say this is my last story written as an 18 year old? Thank you all for your continued support. My writing still isn't perfect and actually kinda sucks sometimes, but I can see myself improving more and more every day. I'll be taking a break from writing to focus on school, besides weekly updates for my tsukkiyama fic "moonshine", but I won't be disappearing forever! xoxo, Chrissy


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